


Collection

by Seathesilverlining (untilweseeawingshot)



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Brothers, Collection of mini fics, Cute, Drinking, F/M, Family time, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Humour, Injury, Jobannon, M/M, Pen and Ink, Rescue Gone Bad, Romance, Scayo, SpaceBears, Whump, i think, pranks gone wrong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:48:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 46
Words: 20,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28527990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/untilweseeawingshot/pseuds/Seathesilverlining
Summary: A collection of the mini fics and scenes I've been posting on tumblr featuring all different kinds of situations and scenarios with out favourite boys and girls!
Relationships: Alan Tracy/Brandon Berrenger, Captain Ridley O'Bannon/John Tracy, Gordon Tracy & Alan Tracy, Penelope Creighton-Ward & Alan Tracy, Penelope Creighton-Ward/Gordon Tracy, Scott Tracy & Alan Tracy, Scott Tracy & John Tracy, Tanusha "Kayo" Kyrano & Gordon Tracy, Tanusha "Kayo" Kyrano/Scott Tracy, Tracy Bros, Tracy Family - Relationship
Comments: 48
Kudos: 20





	1. Enough

Scott’s had enough he decides, finally enough. 

He tells Kayo all the time “We rescue people. Let the GDF handle the Hood and the Chaos Crew. They’re not our problem.” Well, right now they were his problem. 

Fuse is advancing on him and wherever Havoc is she’s sealed the doors behind him which means that any ahead of him probably are too, and he has no way of escaping. 

There’s no possible route for him to take. He’s stuck. He’s trapped, and despite the reassurances in his ear from John that Virgil and Gordon are on their way, he can’t hold on any longer. 

He’s a Tracy damnit. 

He might be scared. 

He might be stuck. 

But if he’s going down, he’s going down fighting. So he stops running. 

He turns and squares up. John’s voice is desperate, pleading with him not to do anything stupid. But Scott isn’t listening anymore. 

“If you want me,” His voice is a growl and it stops Fuse in his tracks. “Come and get me.” 


	2. Idiot

She’s been sat in the infirmary since she got back. He’s not as lifeless as he seemed when she got here, his breathing has since deepened and she can now see the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Idiot. Stupid. Stupid. Stubborn headed, dumb shit, idiot.

But he’s her dumb shit idiot and that’s why when Gordon called her back it felt like there was a gaping hole in her chest.

Making a tough call doesn’t equate to almost killing yourself.

He won’t have a ship to fly for a few weeks. Maybe a month Brains had said. Serves him right.

She knows the score. They all do. Save the people. End of discussion. But all he needed to do was wait a few minutes for backup.

Idiot.

She hasn’t told him how she feels though. How can she?

She tries to stifle the tears but she can’t. So she swallows her pride and allows them to roll down her cheeks. She wants to wipe them away but she won’t let go of the hand clutched in hers.

She wants him to wake up and make fun of her for crying, but the amount of sedative he’s under means he shouldn’t come round for another few hours, and that’s why she feels she can be like this. Vulnerable and scared.

She feels his fingers flex in hers and drops his hand out of shock. It hits the metal frame of the bed and the occupant lets out a pained grunt.

“That wasn’t very nice.” His speech is slurred, but she can just about tell what he’s saying.

“You should be sleeping.” She scolds.

“How can I sleep when you’re so sad?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re crying.”

A hand reaches up to touch her face but only gets halfway before there is another pained grunt and it’s dropped. She takes the opportunity to swipe at the tears now.

“I’m fine.” She repeats. “Go back to sleep.”

“Will you stay?”

His eyes are closing again, sedation pulling him back under, but he reaches for her hand and she takes his in both of hers once again.

“Always.”


	3. Trust

“Do you trust me?”

It’s a simple question really, one she should be able to answer in a heartbeat.

She thinks back to all of the rescues and missions they’ve been on together. All of the things they’ve faced, the people they’ve saved, not just together either.

She thinks about all of the times where her only option was to sit back and wait. Watching on a projection too far away to offer assistance or even get there on time.

She thinks about all of this when he asks her that question.

She does trust him, she does.

But she eyes the shot glass filled with a vibrant yellow liquid, the same colour as his precious ‘bird, suspiciously.

She takes it from him.

“No.”

But she takes it anyway, and he laughs as he downs his own.

“I wouldn’t either Pen.”


	4. Can I Have A Hug

“Can I have a hug?”

The request, although not unwelcome, had been unexpected.

She had been in the guest room in the Tracy Island villa which had unofficially become hers, the same as how the boys essentially had their own rooms at the manor, unpacking, when there had been a small knock on the door. Usually the knock was just courtesy employed seconds before the visitor opened the door. After many rescues leading to the patching up of extremely varied injuries in numerous bodily locations (the deep gash on her thigh in their early days which had meant she’d needed to remove her jeans in order for Virgil to stitch it up properly had been the last straw for her) and copious amounts of time spent by the pool and on the beach on this very same island, they had all long since stopped caring about seeing each other in various states of undress; all that was, except for the youngest.

So when the door didn’t open a moment after the knock she called out:

“Come in!”

The door opened a little giving her a clear view of one bright blue eye and a freckled cheek. She smiled.

“Hello Alan.”

“Uh, hi Lady Penelope.” The door opened wider, but the youngest Tracy still hesitated to step over the threshold.

“You don’t need to use the title.” She reminded him. “I keep telling you that.”

“I know, but it feels weird.” He looked down at the floor as he scuffed the toe of his sneaker on it, but he was smiling a little now.

“Are you coming in, or are you just standing there?”

When he still didn’t move Penelope fixed him with a concerned frown.

“Are you alright Alan?”

“Yeah fine… It’s… I just…” He sighed. “It doesn’t matter. It’s stupid.” He muttered. “Forget it.”

He made to leave, but she managed to jump up and grab his arm at the last second. He turned back to her.

“What ever is the matter?”

“Nothing… It’s nothing, I don’t want to bother you with it.”

Penelope shook her head. “You’re not bothering me.”

“Everyone else is busy and I just… Scott’s doing the mission reports, Virgil and Kayo are helping Brains with repairs, and Gordon’s trying his best to keep Grandma away from the dinner… And John’s… John. Plus he’s not down yet… And I just…” He sighed again. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does. If it’s bothering you this much Alan, it matters.”

He looked directly at her, blue meeting blue, she smiled reassuringly.

“Can I have a hug?”

From the look Alan was giving her now she realised she’d hesitated just a touch too long.

“See, it’s stupid. Sorry…”

He started to pull his arm free from her hand and move away from her, but she pulled him back swiftly, and felt him startle as she embraced him tightly.

He wasn’t her little brother by biology, but he still was; and she would be damned to the firey pits of _hell_ before she’d deny him a hug.

“Thank you,” She heard him whisper as he returned the gesture.

She hugged him tighter.


	5. I'm Sorry Pt.1

“It’s okay, I’m here.”

A simple sentence accompanied by a reassuring steady hand, perfectly perfected over the years and designed to soothe and calm.

Scott has this whole situation down to a fine art, that doesn’t make it easier (ever), but he does and that means he’s a professional who knows what he’s doing. The calm blue eyes, the controlled expression, and the steady voice mean that the rescuee’s always trust him. They still panic, obviously, because the situation they’re in is scary and they’re scared but he see’s the outright terror vanish from their eyes just a little at the appearance of IR blue.

Usually.

This time.

This time, however.

The rescuee knows and understands the danger they’re in and the consequences it might bring, and even Scott’s perfectly perfected professionalism isn’t enough.

“You’re fine. It’s all going to be fine.”

His reassurances are met with a scoff, wet from the seepage of blood that Scott can’t see into a chest cavity.

The eyes that meet his are calm though. They’re calm and accepting and understanding as is the hand that comes up to cover his. And Scott begins his descent from professionalism to panic.

“It’ll be fine. I promise.”

There’s another wet scoff at a promise that can’t be kept and Scott manages a weak smile while his heart feels like it’s going to break in two.

He’s vaguely aware of a voice in his ear. But he pushes one brother away for another.

He’s shouted for help, he’s shouted for the others, but they have a lot to get through and there might not be enough time.

The ache in Scotts heart gives way to anger. He shouldn’t even be here. He should have been safe.

There’s a scream from somewhere not too far away and gloved fingers close around his own.

“Go.”

No.

But he can’t verbalise so instead he shakes his head and is rewarded with a small grateful smile and a nod.

He looks down into half closed eyes that he can’t ever really remember a day without and they’re still calm, still accepting, still understanding. He can feel the tears that his own are brimming with and he lets them spill down his cheeks. Suddenly he’s drawn down into a much too tight embrace and that when he lets out the raw sob that’s burning in his chest.

Because John doesn’t hug.


	6. I'm Sorry Pt.2

Ultimately Scott doesn’t move for four whole days. The only time he does is to go to the bathroom or shower and even then he’s quick. He doesn’t move for food, the others try to tempt him away with it at first, but when it becomes apparent that he’d rather miss out than move, they bring it to him. Grandma chides him for how little he eats but he ignores her easily.

They remind him that they’re all worried too ‘take a break, I’ll stay.’ he shakes his head and stays put. He doesn’t move for sleep, in fact he barely sleeps, the second night that Kayo finds herself in bed alone she drags herself down to the infirmary and slips into the chair with him, wrapping the blanket around them both. It’s been seven days in total, a full week, but after things improved well they were allowed to move him from the hospital to the island infirmary.

Four long days sitting in that chair. Four long days fielding calls of sympathy and worry. Four long days of seeing Ridley O’Bannon’s worried face at every spare second she has. He makes a mental note to check in with her.

Four _excruciating_ days watching the chest of the brother that made him a big brother rise and fall without seeing as much as a sliver of turquoise.

He’s lucky really. Most people in John’s position would be dead. But their field medic is good and their ships are fast. Sixteen broken ribs, nine on the right and seven on the left; one collapsed lung, the other punctured; fractured pelvis; one broken femur; one broken scapula; multiple surgeries and heavy sedation later and in the end everything is going to be okay. He’s still dreading telling John he’s grounded for the foreseeable when he does wake up though.

Alan’s up on Five at the moment for Space Monitor duties, with Three up there too so he can still take on space rescues if he’s needed, helping to keep EOS busy because she’s been Scott’s near constant companion these four days. He’s handed first response and One over to Kayo for the moment so she can’t be by his side twenty four seven, he didn’t want to do it, but he tried to go on a rescue on the first day and he didn’t even make it into his flight suit before he turned back.

His head is in his hands now and he’s alone, even EOS is occupied with rescue co-ordination and Grandma is making dinner, he’s alone when he hears the stuttering breath that’s a break from the steady rhythm he’s been listening to all this time.

Scott looks up instantly to see panicked turquoise eyes staring back at him, hands instantly reaching for the oxygen mask on his face to tear it away in blind terror. Scott is up and seizing the frenzied hands in his own in a flash.

“Hey, hey, hey.” He holds him still until John’s eyes focus on him and he watches him calm down. “You’re okay, it’s okay…”

Scott palms sweat dampened hair from his little brother’s forehead. He’s aware he’s smiling, grinning even, but he doesn’t realise there are tears of relief streaming down his face until once again he’s surprised to be pulled into a too tight embrace and he lets out another loud sob, except this one has the undertone of sheer, unbridled _relief.  
_ And in the end it turns into a laugh, and he can feel John’s chest shaking beneath him, the same kind of feeling overtaking him too.

After one whole week, seven horrific days, of an ache in his chest, a feeling that this was all somehow his fault, a deep rooted sense of responsibility and guilt, he’s laughing. Actually laughing. They both are. They’re laughing and crying at the same time, two brothers holding onto one another for dear life, but that’s just what this is. Life. They’re both _alive_.

As a rule John doesn’t hug, but right now, he needs it.


	7. 0.6 Seconds

There’s blood. That’s all Gordon knows. There’s blood and it’s pouring from somewhere, everywhere. Everywhere and anywhere and he can’t find where and because he can’t find where he can’t stop it. And Virgil isn’t here and Scott isn’t here and John is only a coordinating voice in his ear. No one is here and Gordon is going to have to deal with it himself and he can’t even describe how much he doesn’t want to deal with it alone. But that’s the situation he’s in.

When he says alone he’s speaking relatively. His brothers are here but they’re on the other side of this mess of Fischlers making, and they’re unreachable with Virgil’s communicator damaged, and Gordon can hear the screaming of terrified people on Scott’s end so he knows he won’t be able to hear him.

Gordon is trained for this. He’s trained for this. He is. And normally he can handle this. He can. But this isn’t normal.

He’s got to find the wound. That’s what he has to do. He has to. This can’t be the end. It’s not allowed to be the end. And he won’t let it be.

Suddenly there’s a bloodstained hand in his, and he’s being guided to an area just under a shoulder blade that is positively saturated with blood.

Green eyes that are unusually serene for the situation find his.

And Gordon finally finds his voice.

“Scott! Virgil!” It’s not a shout down the comms, it’s a scream. “Kayo’s down!” It’s a cry. “I need a med kit!” It’s a beg.

There’s no blood in it, but she’s his sister and he’s going to save her.


	8. Fire

“I have a solution.” Gordon whispered.

“Thank goodness.”

“It involves fire.” He elaborated.

“Absolutely not.” The words were out of Penelope’s mouth faster than her brain could think them.

“No, no, no…” Gordon dismissed her concerns. “It’s simple. We set the curtains on fire.”

“Oh my god…”

“Then, while they’re freaking out and trying to put the fire out, we make a run for it.”

“No.”

“Okay, well then you explain to Parker and Virgil why we are both buck assed naked in the library of your stately home.”

“I don’t exactly think they’ll require an explanation darling. I think they could draw the correct conclusion all by themselves.”


	9. Afraid

“Are you afraid to die?”

It’s a question that they’ve all been asked on multiple occasions.

A question that became far more frequent after their father’s death.

Rescuee’s, both adults and the occasional child, people they’ve met at official functions who they barely know, news reporters shoving a microphone in their faces after a particularly long day. They always give the same rehearsed answer: ‘It’s a risk of the job.’ But it’s something they try their best not to think about.

The only time it isn’t easy to dismiss is when it comes from a brother. Scott, John, and Virgil have had all of the necessary discussions – that were followed by the three of them drinking an entire bottle of Dad’s expensive whiskey between them – they have their contingencies in place, and Gordon and Alan are both aware that the discussions have happened, they know the basics, but unlike Kayo and Penelope they aren’t privy to the detailed plans that cover every possible scenario.

The words don’t sting until Alan is fourteen, pulling up Thunderbird 2’s ramp after an extremely hard and largely unsuccessful rescue, and he’s quiet and sombre while he gets cleaned up, to flop into the passengers seat with haunted blue eyes meeting two shades of brown, only to utter those same words.

They tell him not to worry about it, they’ll talk about it later (much later) and to go to sleep. And he does.

But once he’s home he asks the same question of blue and grey, turquoise and orange, and green and black, and all of them falter staring at blue and red on a still baby-ish face and a skinny teenage body, they can’t bring themselves to tell the truth either.

And if they’re being honest with themselves the truth is yeah, of course they are. But they’d rather give their lives for someone else’s than watch a person who they could save die instead.


	10. SpaceBears

“Wow, you look… Amazing.”

Cheeks instantly turned red.

“Shut up…” Alan mumbled.

“No, no, I mean it.” Brandon’s eyes were wide as he took everything in.

The blonde tugged at the tailored suit jacket, a perfect fit. “I look stupid.”

“You do not look stupid. Just nervous.” Brandon batted his hands away from messing with the suit, and fixed the black bow-tie that was streaked with red.

“That’s good. Because I _am_ nervous.” He pulled at his shirt cuffs. “I don’t want to go to Lady Penelope’s stupid party.

“You’ll be fine.” Brandon once again batted away nervous hands and fixed him with a short reprimanding look.

“I hate these things. I’m always the youngest there and whenever any of Lady P’s posh friends try and talk to me I always feel so stupid. My brothers always know what to say…”

“Look,” Brandon took Alan’s hands in his. “This time you’re not going to have a bad time, you’ve got me.” He leaned forward a little and caught eager lips in a quick kiss. “I like to think I’m pretty good company and considering the amount of time we spend together I’d like to think that you do too.”

“Amongst other things…” Alan smirked, gaze finally rising from the floor for blue to meet brown.

“There you go,” Brandon cupped a hand around Alan’s cheek and softly traced his cheekbone with his thumb.

Alan’s eyes fluttered closed at the calming sensation and he leaned into the warm palm, placing his own hand over the top of it.

Brandon smiled softly, eyes tracing freckles like constellations on skin, his very own star studded sky.


	11. Impact

I rewatched Impact last night and needed to write something for my two! 

John hadn’t spoken to her all that much since the adrenaline had died down. There had been their usual banter during a game of handball but nothing like a proper conversation since. They had made arrangements for Ridley to stay with him on Thunderbird Five for a couple of days until the GDF decided the course of action to take regarding the re-instating and repositioning of Global One, but once those arrangements had been made he’d muttered something about essential maintenance and left her on her own. 

By Ridley’s watch that had been almost three hours ago.

She’d asked EOS where he was but the AI had either been preoccupied or actively ignoring her (she suspected the latter with a dash of the former) and all she had received was silence. Thunderbird Five wasn’t that big, she should be able to find him easy enough. So, clipping her helmet to her suit should she need it, she set about searching everywhere that she could find.

But she didn’t find him.

And that was what was concerning. 

So she checked everywhere over again. 

Still no sign. And EOS still wasn’t answering. He wouldn’t have left her alone on the station, so where could he be?

She had been sitting in the gravity ring for a while when on one rotation she spotted a pair of blue covered feet on the outside of the station. 

What the hell?

So she put on her helmet and made her way over to the airlock.

Once she was outside she spotted him easily, a beacon of blue, orange, and gold amongst the purple-black depths of space. There was a hologram in his hand, Scott. She hesitated, not wanting to interrupt the brotherly chat. 

“I don’t know what to do.”

Scott’s hologram looked sympathetic, like he wanted to reach out and hug his brother despite the miles between them.

_“Have a conversation.”_

“But I’m no good with people.”

_“This isn’t people. This is one person. A person you care about. A lot.”_

John sighed sadly and Ridley watched his shoulders slump, she approached a little more, and Scott’s hologram flickered as he looked up.

_“Evening Captain.”_

John jumped, actually physically flinched so hard she thought she might have to grab him so he didn’t float off into space.

“Easy...” Ridley chuckled, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Hi Scott, I’m not interrupting am I?”

_“No, not at all. I’m going to head off and get some sleep. Take care you two.”_

Ridley smiled. “Goodnight,”

“Goodnight Scott, and thanks.”

_“Anytime little brother.”_

She couldn’t see Johns face for his helmet but she knew he was smiling a little as the connection closed. 

“Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine...” He slowly rose to his feet. “It’s just been a hell of a day.”

“Big brother always makes it better?”

“He does,” This time she could see his smile. “Come on, let’s head back inside.”

  
They were silent as they passed through the airlock. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s get some food.” 

As their feet touched down in the gravity ring he lead her to the galley.   
“Sorry, I don’t have much interesting in terms of food, supply run was due tomorrow,” 

“It’s fine, I’ve been a student, I’ve lived off worse,” She smirked and finally got a small smile out of him, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “What’s wrong?” She chanced again. 

“Nothing.” He snapped, then sighed. “I’m just tired.” He turned his back to her as he retrieved food from the cupboards. 

“John.” 

“It’s nothing okay?!” He rounded in a flash. “It’s fine!”

“Well it doesn’t sound like nothing!” She raised her voice to match his. 

“Well it is so DROP IT!”

“No! There’s clearly a problem and it’s clearly with me! What is it?!”

He sighed and turned around muttering something. 

“So I can hear you!” 

He span around again. “You can’t do what you did today! You can’t do that! You can’t put your life in danger like that to make me help you! You can’t do that to me!”

“John...”

“I’m not finished!” His voice rose in volume again. “I care about you! A LOT! I really really do! And today! That stunt you pulled! ‘Save me, save my station’?! You knew I wouldn’t leave you! You knew and you used that!”

“I didn’t mean...”

“No. You did. And that’s what hurt! You used the fact that I care about you to get me to do something for you!”

He was right. Of course he was. They both knew it, had known it at the time even. But she hadn’t known it would affect him this badly. 

“I really care about you and I couldn’t live with myself if I lost you, especially not like that.” He wasn’t shouting anymore and somehow that stung more. “Not when I could prevent it.”

He was leaning back against the counter, looking down at the floor. She gave him a moment to see if there was anything else he wanted to say, and then she spoke. 

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, I am John.” 

When he still didn’t look up at her she reached out and guided his face up. He looked at her then. 

“I really care about you. You can’t do that again.”

“I won’t. If I’m ever in danger I’ll always call on you to save me, but I’ll never place myself there and expect you to again.” 

“I’ll always save you.” He took her hand that was still on his cheek in his own and she closed the short distance between them. “You’re more than just a friend to me.” He whispered. 

“Oh yeah?” She leaned into him gently. “Show me.”

She practically watched new found confidence bleed through his entire being, and he smirked as one hand found the small of her back and the other the back of her head. 

“Is this okay?” His words were hot on her lips, turquoise eyes burning. 

“More than.”

That seemed to be all the permission he needed and he pushed forward. He captured her lips with his own in a soft press of flesh against flesh, but when he felt her reciprocating it was like someone had flipped a switch and he was suddenly starving.

Her arms are around his neck and there’s a tongue on lips that readily part and they don’t come up until they’re gasping for air. His forehead is against hers and they both let out a giddy laugh. 

“Somehow I think I’m going to enjoy the next couple of days if you keep that kind of behaviour up Spaceman.” 

“Oh yeah?”   
She pulled him back down. “Yeah.”


	12. Dirty Move

“Are you bleeding?”

“We don’t have time to deal with it. I’ll be fine.”

“Scott!” Alan squawked.

“I said we don’t have time.” The oldest repeated firmly. “Come on.”

“Scott…”

“Alan. I said drop it.”

“Oh, like the blood you’re dropping all over the place?”

Scott stopped in his tracks. The kid wasn’t entirely wrong. He looked down at the offending leg which was practically screaming at him and he could barely see a patch of blue left on his flight suit. Shit.

“Virgil and Gordon are almost here. Let’s just stop for a minute and assess.” Alan pleaded when Scott continued to march on.

“There’s people that need to be rescued.”

“Yeah, there is, and you’ll be no good to them passing out from blood loss.” The youngest snapped.

“Alan…” Scott’s voice took on a warning tone as he glowered at his brother, but the defiant fire in the blue eyes that stared back at him told him he was attempting to fight a losing battle. “I’m fine.” His sock felt sticky.

Just how long had he actually been bleeding?

The thought caused him to falter for just a second too long and Alan took it as a victory. But it was short lived as Scott recovered quickly and set out again.

“I’ll call John.” He threatened, to no effect, only a scoff in return. “I’ll call Virgil.”

“He’s on his way anyway. He’ll find out when he gets here.” Scott dismissed that one too easily.

“I’ll call Grandma.”

Scott stopped instantly and rounded on him.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

Alan stared straight back, holding his gaze determinedly.

“Alan…”

Alan raised his communicuff and tapped once to bring up the options.

“I’m warning you.”

Alan’s finger hovered over the selection that would take him directly through to the island.

“I’ll put you out for a week if you do it.”

Still staring him directly in the eyes Alan pressed and immediately was put through to the family matriarch.

“Better than what Grandma will do to you.”

Scott tackled him to the floor.

_“Alan? Scott? What’s going on?”_

“Nothing Grandma. Alan tripped and called in by accident.” Scott reassured her, pinning Alan down and taking control, he closed the connection. “Okay. You win. We’ll stop for a minute and assess.”

Alan smiled triumphantly. “Good.”

“But that was a dirty move.”

“I know. But it worked.”


	13. Bad Move

Alan has his uncooperative patient guided to the floor surprisingly easily; Scott tucks his good leg underneath himself and allows Alan to stretch the injured one out straight. Twisting it as he needs to get a better look at the injury.

The eldest allows himself a loud hiss and more than a few ground out expletives as gentle fingers examine the injured area.

“This is bad Scott.”

“It’s fine.”

He shakes Alan off and tries to stand back up, but with his good leg underneath him he has to brace himself against the cave wall behind him to even make it to a crouch.

This is precisely why he didn’t want to stop.

But Alan pulls him back down firmly enough that it’s more than a warning.

“Don’t move.”

There’s more of Virgil in the sprout than Scott realised.

“I’m fine Squirt. Come on. People are counting on us.”

He’s fixed with a stare that is pure Sally Tracy.

“None of them are injured though Scott. Just stuck, you’re hurt.”

“I’m _good_.” He insists again.

But even though Alan lets him stand this time, the sound of his leg sticky with blood, separating from a forming pool of it on the floor makes an unmistakeable liar out of him.

“ _Good_ are you?”

“Yeah. Fine.”

“Scott.”

“I’m fine Alan!”

The shout has his youngest brother backing up a touch, but his face just shows more resolve than before.

“Alright. If you want to go on ahead, go ahead. But the way I see it, with that wound you won’t make it far. And if you do make it all the way there, you’ll be in no fit state to help anyone.”

The words are cold. Calculating. Designed perfectly to hit him right in the gut.

But instead of letting them work, he throws a glower over his shoulder as he takes another step further forward. And another, and another, until Alan is forced to follow him.

Bad move.

They make it about ten feet further before Scott is forced to stop. The feeling comes out of nowhere. One second he’s fine apart from the pain, the next he’s hot, then freezing, he feels sick right in the pit of his stomach, and he can’t help it. He takes one more step and his footing goes, he braces an arm against the wall but it’s too late and the world is tipping sideways. The ground comes into view a lot sooner than it should.

“Scott!”

He tries to move his lips to form the words and reassure his baby brother that he’s alright, but he can’t.

The last thing he feels is Alan’s hands on his head.

The whole world goes black.


	14. Smart Move

When the world comes into view again Scott hears two voices.

Two brothers.

At least he didn’t call Grandma.

_“You need to make sure that it’s really secure Alan.”_

“Secure… Right. Secure.”

_“It might feel like it’s a little too tight, but you need to keep everything else in place.”_

“Yeah, okay, sure…”

_“If it’s too loose everything else will come apart.”_

_“Hey, guys.”_

Three brothers.

_“Hey clouds for brains!”_

Four.

An audible shove.

_“Keep your eyes on the sky fish boy.”_

_“He always tells us not to be stupid, and then he’s stupid himself.”_

_“Gordon! Shut up!”_ John’s voice is exasperated, Virgil’s is stern.

 _“How are you feeling big bro?”_ Virgil’s voice is now soft and still only half-conscious Scott raises his arm to bring his communicator into view.

“I’m fine…” He croaks out.

He feels Alan’s movements around his leg stall for a brief moment, then suddenly the bandage is pulled just a tiny bit too tight.

Scott’s face contorts in pain and he hisses. “Shit Alan!”

But the teenager doesn’t speak, just glares at him instead.

The other three are silent too and Scott can practically feel them exchanging looks down the comm line.

_“Gordon and I will be at the rescue location in ten minutes. We’ll deal with that and help the people get out. You guys focus on yourselves.”_

Scott can only manage a nod.

 _“And Alan.”_ He looks up for that. _“He’s hurt, and it’s bad, you know it is. Don’t listen to his bullshit.”_

Alan nods once, resolute.

With that, Virgil disconnects as does John to be available to lend a hand to the other two should they need his eye in the sky capabilities, and Scott is left alone with his littlest brother.

He lays still and silent for as long as he can bear while Alan works.

“So you’re not talking to me. Is that it?”

The teenager doesn’t even acknowledge him with a glance.

“Alan…”

No response.

Scott sighs. “I’ll be okay you know, I’ve had worse…”

Alan’s head whips around so fast it makes Scott jump.

“I thought you were _fine_?”

The words are hissed but lacking the venom Scott expects from the glare he’s thrown.

“You can’t _do_ that to me.” Alan’s eyes return to the task at hand. “To _any_ of us.”

“I - -”

“Don’t say you’re sorry if you might do it again.”

“Alan…”

“You need to care about yourself Scott.”

“What?”

Alan looks back at him and the blue eyes so similar to his own have lost their earlier fire.

“We all care heaps about you. You didn’t have to take us on when Dad died, especially not me and Gordon. You could have just left us with Grandma and gone off to live your own life, no one would have blamed you. But you didn’t. We wouldn’t be this family without you. So we all care about you a _lot_. It doesn’t help us if you refuse to care about yourself.”

“Alan…” Scott tries to sit up but Alan stops him.

“Stay still. I’m almost done.”

So – feeling guilty as sin – Scott stays down until Alan is finished.

“There. I think I’m done. Does that feel okay?”

Scott tries to flex his leg a little, he can still move it in a limited way but it’s secure, no more bleeding everywhere.

“Feels fine to me.” He sits up and extends a hand to a now standing Alan. “Help me up?”

“Sure!”

Alan takes his hand and helps him steadily to his feet.

The pain is so much worse now, probably because of all the necessary prodding and poking, but he’s up on his feet and Alan pulls his arm around his slender shoulders and wraps his right arm around Scott’s waist. Scott wants to protest but he also doesn’t want to risk passing out like before, so he lets Alan help him.

“Wait. Where are we going?”

“Back to One. Then back home. You heard Virgil.”

“But the trapped people.”

“Virgil and Gordon can deal with it. You know they can.” Alan forces him to move forward.

“But…”

“Scott! Stop it! You just passed out. I thought you were dead. They can deal with it. We’re not needed. Can we please just go home?” Alan’s voice is almost desperate, marred by the existence of tears he won’t let fall. “You need to be seen to by a proper medical professional.”

“Grandma.”

“Yes. Grandma. She’ll have your neck for what you did earlier you know.”

“I’m aware.” Scott grunts as they move forward, his injured leg practically dragging behind.

Suddenly Alan stops. “Is it hurting again?”

Scott debates denying it, but he knows any more denial will fracture the trust they share.

“Yeah,” Scott sighs and Alan almost looks stunned by the confession. “It’s pretty bad.”

“You want to rest?”

“No, I’d rather keep going. We’ll get home sooner that way.”

Alan looks unsure but nods anyway and continues to help Scott back to the cave entrance.

As they walk back Scott can see spots of blood leading them like a trail of breadcrumbs, Alan can see it too.

“Just how long have you been bleeding?”

Scott sighed. “Remember when we were rappelling down, I hit the rocks and my line slipped?”

“Yeah?”

“That’s when I caught my leg.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Scott tries to suppress his grunt of pain as he takes another step. “I didn’t want you to worry.”

“Well fat lot of good that did!”

“Alan… I really am sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Yeah, well, you did.”

Scott sighs at the snap, but he’s expecting it at this point, hell he deserves it. Alan must have been so scared when he passed out.

“You did the right thing calling Virgil.” Alan looked around at him. “It was a smart move kid.”

“I know.”

Scott turns, a little shocked at the confidence with which the comment comes out, but Alan grins.

“I know who’s best to call when you’re being an idiot.”

“You did not call Grandma.”

“No.”

Scott sighs with relief.

“John did though.”


	15. Smooth Move

“Okay, so how are we going to do this?”

Scott and Alan had made it back to the cave entrance, the problem now came with needing to climb back up to Thunderbird One.

“I’m not a total invalid Alan. I’ve only hurt my leg, I can do it.”

Blue eyes, just a shade lighter than his own fill with concern.

“Are you sure? We can figure something out…”

“Alan.”

“You could remote pilot One down here and then…”

“Alan, there’s nowhere else to land. We can’t get to One if I did remote pilot it here. We have to climb.” He places a hand on a slender worried shoulder. “It’ll be fine.”

Alan drew in a breath and frowned. “Okay…”

“Come on.” Scott plasters on his best reassuring smile.

The climb is going better than Scott thought it would actually. Alan’s concerns weren’t unfounded, it is difficult to climb with a leg that can’t weight bear. But he’ll manage. This is the point where he needs Alan to focus on himself because if he got hurt Scott wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

“How are you doing Sprout?” Scott calls down, looking over his shoulder.

“I’m good. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine!”

And he is, he’s only putting weight on his bad leg for a second and it’s going okay.

It’s going fine, until his hand hold breaks, crumbles under his fingers, and he doesn’t have enough purchase with his bad leg to swing himself up and grab another

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit shit shit shit shit.

Scott lets out a shout of pain as he slams into the rock face first, and something yanks on his bad leg.

“Scott!”

Scott becomes acutely aware that it’s Alan who’s pulling on his leg, and he’s not just caught up somewhere.

“How are you so heavy?!” Alan grunts, both hands are wrapped around his ankle and when Scott notices this he panics.

“Alan! What are you doing?!”

“Saving your ass you idiot!”

“How are you holding on?!” Scott is still panicking.

“Retractable spike in my boots! Brains’s newest upgrade!”

Scott’s heart stops beating so fast and he allows himself a breath. He can always count on Brains to keep them safe.

“I’m going to try something! Hang on!”

“Can’t do much else Allie!”

Alan rolls his eyes even though he knows Scott can’t see him.

“John!” He calls into his helmet and he see’s a vague flicker of blue holographic brother appear at his wrist communicator but he hears the voice clear as day.

_“Alan! What’s going on?!”_

“I need some help!” He grunts, trying his best to pull Scott up further.

“ _Anything you need._ ”

“I need you to remote pilot Thunderbird One to just above us.”

His second eldest brother immediately trusts his judgement. _“Done.”_

Within a minute the sleek silver rocket is hovering just overhead.

Alan transfers all of his desperate hold on Scott’s leg to one hand, freeing his other to shoot the magnetic grapple.

There’s a thunk as the magnet attaches to One’s hull.

“Sorry Scott. This is going to hurt…” Alan mutters to himself.

He wraps his fingers tightly around the handle of the grapple gun and makes sure he has a tight hold of Scott’s leg.

“Here goes nothing…”

Alan takes a deep breath to steady himself, then presses the retract on the grapple gun and they shoot towards Thunderbird One.

“John. Can you…” Alan’s words are lost to the gritting of his teeth but John seems to read his mind and One’s hatch opens and the pilot seat is lowered for them.

Somehow – Alan _really_ doesn’t know how – he manages to get them both into the seat and lifted back into One without dropping Scott or hurting himself in the process.

“Thanks John.” Alan’s a little breathless and he’s acutely aware of Scott writhing in pain on the floor beside him. “Scott!” He’s up on his knees and over his older brother in a second. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry I hurt you!”

Scott turns over onto his back and scoots up against the wall. He’s a little pale and just like Alan he’s out of breath but he manages a small smile.

“Where…” He gasps and tries to steady his breathing. “Where did you learn how to pull that off?”

“Watching you and John.” Alan shrugs.

“Smooth move…” Scott’s smile is proud, he holds out his hand. “Help me up.”

Alan takes his hand and helps him to his feet, but is suddenly trapped under the weight of a much bigger brother as Scott’s leg gives out on him.

“Ughn… We’re getting you home now. Grandma can see to you then.”

Alan helps him to the passenger seat despite Scott’s protests.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”

“Exactly what it looks like. You’re too hurt to fly us back.” Alan deposits his oldest brother into the chair and swiftly sits himself in the pilot seat.

“Alan!”

“Suck it up.”

Another protest dies on Scott’s lips with a sharp intake of breath and a groan of pain.

“Okay…”

“This is Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two. We’re heading out, see you back home.”

_“Alan is piloting?!”_

There’s a thump that Alan and Scott can only assume is Virgil giving Gordon a shove before his voice filters through the speakers instead.

_“FAB Thunderbird One. See you at home.”_


	16. Final Move

“How you doing?” Alan asks, sitting down next to Scott on the couch.

Scott’s leg is propped up on a stool in front of him, he’s wearing a t-shirt and some loose-fitting pyjama pants that cover the bandages swathing his right thigh.

“I’m good.” But it’s said with a sigh. “Just sick of missing out.”

The laceration on Scott’s thigh had stretched most of the length from his hip to his knee. Since it was the result of getting caught on some rocks instead of a blade, the cut had been a lot less uniform and more jagged, making stitching it up difficult. But luckily it hadn’t been deep enough to warrant a visit to hospital. Scott was going to have an impressive scar though.

Grandma hadn’t shouted, but she had had some choice words for the eldest about taking good care of himself (she had sent Alan to his room to shower and change while she had spoken to Scott, but he’d arrived back in time to hear the tail end). Then she’d hugged them both and set out to make them a good, filling meal. John had put in a call to Virgil and Gordon to pick up some takeout on their way home. John had also put Scott out of active duty, which had been grumbled about, sworn about, and protested, almost resulting in a fight between the two until Virgil had stepped in on John’s side and Scott had resigned himself to a month at minimum of sitting and waiting.

And pouting as it had turned out.

“You’ll be back out there with us before you know it.”

“Can’t come soon enough.”

Alan frowns again. “You might disagree with what I’m about to say, but I think some rest will do you good.”

“Physically you might be right, but mentally? It’s going to run me ragged.” Scott sighs again. “I don’t like you guys being out there without me if I can’t get to you when you need me.”

“We know. But you can’t destroy yourself in the process. We can handle it for a few weeks. What matters to all of us is that you get better. I meant what I said, we care about you a lot, so we need you to care about yourself once in a while. We need you, and if you being out of action for a little while means we get to keep you? Well then I’d say it’s more than worth it.”

There’s a small smile on Scott’s lips.

“What?”

The smile widens, and Scott shakes his head. “Nothing…”

“No, what?!” Alan insists.

“When did you get so wise?”

“When I realised that each and every one of my older brothers is an idiot willing to disregard his own wellbeing at the drop of a hat.” Alan didn’t miss the look that Scott gave him. “You, John, Virgil, Gordon; I’ve seen you all take major risks. But then you all panic and go crazy whenever I do anything similar.”

“We just want to keep you safe.”

“And I want all of you to be safe.”

Scott nods, concedes even, he’s glad Alan feels comfortable enough with them all to be this honest, despite the age differences.

They sit in comfortable silence for a moment before Scott speaks again.

“Thank you, by the way.”

“What?”

“For the other day. I know I haven’t said it yet, and I’m sorry, I should have said it straight away. Thank you for not listening to my stubborn ass and getting me home in one piece. Thank you for looking after me even though it was being a complete asshole about it.”

“No problem. It’s what brothers do, even the little ones.” Alan grins at him and for the first time in a week Scott grins too.

They sit in silence again for a little while longer, until Alans stomach grumbles and Scott laughs.

“While you’re up can you grab me something too?”

“Fine…” Alan groans as he pulls himself from the couch.

“Thanks.” Scott’s smile is small as he watches Alan move to the kitchen. “Also, Alan?”

The blonde doesn’t turn around. “Yeah?”

“Leaving any of you behind after Dad died was never an option.”

Alan stops in his tracks. He turns and runs back, dropping himself into a waiting hug.

Final move to biggest bro.


	17. Inside and Out

“You’re so beautiful.”

And he means it. No matter what form he see’s her in, he thinks she’s beautiful. Both inside and out.

Right now she’s perched in an ever so ladylike way, on the edge of the bed, bare faced, hair soft, freshly dried after a shower and she’s wearing one of his bolder shirts (a nice bright blue number, covered with garishly bright flowers in varying shades of pink and orange). That pleases him even more.

He doesn’t own her, no one owns anyone but it’s just a subtle hint – a reminder – that she’s his and she’s here because she wants to be with him as much as he wants to be with her.

“What?” She turns to him in a sweep of fluffy hair and big blue eyes, a small smile playing on her slightly parted lips and Gordon falls again.

This thing. It’s new but it feels like forever. It feels lasting. It feels like finally, if that can even be called a feeling, this is it.

Years of pining after her, fawning his brothers had teased, and finally – _finally_ – she’s here and she falls into his arms more than willingly at the slightest word, the smallest hint, she’s there.

She’s here with him and he’s there with her, and they’re each others, and it just feels correct. It just feels right. Like the first time he felt the water on his skin, the first time he saw Thunderbird Four, the first solo rescue he ever did; this is where he belongs. This life, this here, with her.

Before he knows what’s happening she’s across the bed and in his arms, head on his shoulder and face in the crook of his neck.

Penelope sighs contentedly and reaches out to rest a hand over his heart.

“You’re beautiful too.” The hand slides up to his cheek. “Inside, and out.”


	18. Bad Dream

It’s around three o’clock in the morning island time when Scott’s bedroom door cracks open. He knows that because he’s still awake. He’s always awake. He has financial reports to read, rescue reports to finish, and despite the nagging exhaustion in the back of his mind he knows he won’t be able to sleep until its done.

He’s expecting a telling off from his late-night visitor. To be told to put the tablet down and go to bed, and he’s ready to argue that he’s already in bed, to be met with an exasperated sigh coupled with an empty threat of sedatives.

But instead, he starts at what he sees. Instead, it’s not Virgil or Grandma or Kayo, it’s John and his visitor is just as shocked to see him as vice versa.

They stare at each other for a moment and some how they come to a mutual understanding, and John steps silently into the room.

Only once the door is shut do either of them take a chance to speak. 

“I’m sorry.”  
“Are you okay?”

Scott shook his head. “What are you sorry for?”

“Disturbing you,” John sighed. “I just… I needed… It doesn’t matter.”

John reaches for the handle of the door.

“Wait. Somethings obviously wrong.”

“No, it’s not, it’s fine.”

“John.”

Scott’s tone makes his first younger brother sag against the door and sigh, eyes closing.

“You weren’t even down when we all went to bed.”

“I know…”

“How long have you been down?”

“About thirty minutes.”

Scott frowns. “What’s going on?”

Another sigh, defeated. “I had a bad dream. That’s all.”

“It must have been one hell of a bad dream to get you in that space elevator at this time of night. You must’ve known we’d all be asleep.”

“I wasn’t planning to stay… I just needed to check.”

“Check what?”

But John shakes his head and lowers it to meet his hands.

“John. Would you just… Please… Just tell…” Scott thinks better of what he’s about to say. “Just come here.” Scott instructs. “Please.” 

John raises his head and takes a single step forward, that’s the only signal Scott needs to shuffle across and make room on the bed.

John’s head returns to his hands once he’s sat on the bed, back against the headboard, just like Scott.

“What’s going on?” Scott whispers, laying a hand on John’s shoulder.

“I couldn’t save you.” John’s voice is almost silent, but Scott still hears him. “You were all in danger and I couldn’t save you. I don’t remember the ins and outs of it all now I just remember that I was _stuck_ on ‘Five and you were all in danger down here and I couldn’t do anything to help. I couldn’t save any of you, but I still had to watch everything happen.” Head still in his hands, John takes a shuddering breath. “I had to watch you all die and I couldn’t do anything about it. It felt so real. I knew it wasn’t real but I just had this deep feeling of terror. I needed to check that it wasn’t. I needed to make sure you were all okay…”

Scott can only nod, familiar with the same kind of nightmare, and it was never pleasant. The worst part for him though, was that he was usually there, watching it happen but just falling short of being able to help.

“You do realise that if - - ” John corrects himself quickly. “ _When_ something bad happens to any of you while you’re out there, I have to listen to it. All of it. Without being able to help.”

And to that Scott doesn’t know what to say. So he wraps his arms around his slightly taller but much lankier younger brother and holds him tightly. And instead of flinching away like Scott expects, John returns the favour.

“We’re all fine. Everyone is okay, we’re not in any danger right now. We’re all here, at home, like we should be.”

In the shuffle of movement the abandoned tablet clatters to the floor.

Reports be damned.

His brothers are more important.


	19. Glitterbomb

“I made a mistake and you have to help me fix it.”

Those words coming from Gordon’s mouth in a panicked, garbled mess should have been Alan’s first clue that he didn’t want to get involved.

His second should have been when he was led down to the hangar, to Shadow’s section.

And the third should have been the explosion of multi-coloured glitter that coated the floor, the wall, and the underside of the sleek black jet.

“What did you _do_?”

“It was an accident okay?! It was an accident! It was supposed to be a prank meant for John, it was supposed to go in his bathroom…”

“Then how did this happen?!”

“I was carrying other stuff and I dropped the bag and I didn’t realise it would be so sensitive and…” He gestured to the mess with a noise of despair. “I’m going to _die_.”

“You are.”

“Please help me…”

“Hell no! You’re on your own! I’m not touching shit of Kayo’s things.”

“We just have to get it off of Shadow! That’s all! I’ll sort out the rest by myself, but I’ve been trying to do this on my own and it’s taking forever… Kayo said she had to meet Colonel Casey today and I know she hasn’t been yet so I’m working on a time frame. _Please…”_

“You have to help me clean Three.”

“What?”

“From top to bottom, inside and out.”

“Why?”

“That’s the deal here. I help you with this and you have to help me clean Three. Completely.”

Gordon scowled at him.

“Or you can answer to Kayo.” Alan shrugged turning around to leave the hangar.

After considering his options Gordon swiftly seized the collar of his little brother’s shirt tightly and turned him back around.

“Okay. Deal.”

“Pleasure doing business with you.” Alan’s tone was a little too smug for Gordon’s liking.

“Now _help_.”


	20. What's For Breakfast, Deer?

Fourth of July weekend. That had been the excuse Colonel Casey had used to order them to have the night (at least) off. They deserved it she had said, the world can handle itself for one night she had said, ‘Fischler and Lemaire are being watched closely’ had been the tipping point.

She must have been in collusion with Grandma, because the matriarch had ordered them all off of the island for the weekend, she and Parker could hold down the fort just fine on their own with the added security of Sherbet, EOS, and MAX. So reluctantly they had all agreed, and arrangements to rent a cabin somewhere remote for the weekend had been made.

Alan had invited Brandon Berrenger along, much to Scott’s annoyance, and John had dragged Ridley down with him (her down time had been somewhat suspiciously rescheduled to coincide with theirs).

Even John didn’t remember the night really, none of them did when it came down to it, and when they tried it just passed by in a haze of colour, laughter and alcohol.

So when they all woke up to a scream followed by a loud bang from the living room it should hardly have been a surprise.

Kayo was first down the stairs, followed quickly by Scott and Virgil who collided first with each other and then with her. But all three of them stood stock still at the bottom of the stairs.

“What the fuck?”

That had come from John, the more than slightly hungover Space Monitor halting a few steps behind his brothers.

Evidently the scream had come from a certain social media “Bear” who was currently backed up as far as he could be against the arm of the couch, while his personal inviter was laid under the coffee table muttering curse words and rubbing the back of his head.

“Brandon… is that what I think it is, or am I hallucinating?”

“If you can see it too dude then you’re not hallucinating!”

Kayo strode into the room and put her hand firmly over Brandon’s mouth, dragging him swiftly from the couch and back to where the others were.

“Quiet!” She ordered, only removing her hand when the teenager nodded quickly in agreement.

“Is that a…” Ridley’s soft voice trailed off as John held up a finger to her.

“Alan. Alan!” Scott hissed, trying to get the attention of the remaining teenager.

He only got a grumble in response.

“Alright. Enough.”

Virgil moved into the room as quickly as he could, seized Alan’s arms and pulled him out from under the coffee table in a surprisingly smooth swoop.

“Hey! What the he- -… HOLY SHIT!”

He was met with a round of shushing and a big brothers hand over his mouth.

Penelope was quiet in joining their crowd, so was Brains, Gordon however joined them in true Gordon fashion.

“Is that a DEER?!”

More shushing.

“No. How did we get a deer in the cabin?”

The afore mentioned animal was thankfully asleep, tucked up against the couch that Brandon had been sleeping on. It must have been fully grown due to the large pair of antlers it sported, but was currently posing no threat.

“I think the better question is how to we get it out without trashing the place?”

Brandon snickered. “Can I video it for the vlog?”

“I will murder you and no one will ever find your body.” Kayo told him firmly.


	21. Wake Up Call

“If you really can’t sleep… Then how about we have sex.”

That gets his attention.

He actually looks away from the computer screen, eyes wide, staring in disbelief into the green one’s opposite.

He’s been sat at Dad’s desk all day, _all day_ , he’s behind with everything and now the GDF are getting onto him as well as the TI board. Financial report this, rescue report that; ‘you need to read and sign off on this Mr Tracy before we can proceed’, ‘What exactly happened in California? How many people did you have to take to hospital from that boat?’. He wants to tell them all where they can stick their paperwork. But now his mind is blank.

“Excuse me?” Scott sputters, he’s sure his brain had short circuited.

“You heard me.” Kayo tips her head slightly, a small smirk playing on her lips and a subtle raise of her eyebrows – a challenge – but Scott still thinks he must have been hallucinating.

“I don’t think I did.”

Can he smell burning? They say that’s a bad sign, right? But Grandma made dinner tonight so it could just be that.

“You said you can’t sleep.” She approaches the desk, never breaking their eye contact. “I think I can help with that.” She lowers herself slightly as she places her hands on the surface.

“W-what?” The word catches in Scott’s throat.

This is the part of the dream where he’s usually woken up by the emergency alarm.

“I know you heard me that time.”

She leans forward, slipping her hand under the monitor as she goes, turning it off with a click. She places herself well within his reach but straightens back up before he can so much as touch her.

“But if you’d rather work…” She shrugs as she turns around.

“No!”

Too fast.

She turns back, amused smirk playing on the lips that have taken centre stage in many an embarrassing dream of his.

“What I mean is,” He stands up so quickly he bangs his knees on the edge of the desk. “A distraction would be nice.” He trips over his feet as he makes his way around the currently inconvenient piece of furniture.

“Smooth save.”

“It’s one of the things I’m known for.” He quips back instantly.

“I hope you’re not that fast in everything you do.”

His eyes are as wide as saucers once again.

She beckons him closer with a single finger, using the nail of that same finger to draw a line up his throat, along the underside of his jaw, coming to rest under his chin. And she relishes in the deep swallow she gets as he fights to keep his composure.

“Kayo…”

The grin she fixes him with as she finally looks back up into his eyes is purely a feline curl that screams ‘I’m in charge here.’

The finger leaves his chin for the hand to curl around the back of his neck and she draws him down.

“No disappointing wake up calls Flyboy. Let’s have some fun.”


	22. House Guest Pt.1

_“Meeeew…”_

Gordon’s head whipped around again. Where was that noise coming from?

Virgil raised an eyebrow at him. Again.

“You doing okay Fish?”

“Can you really not hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“That noise.”

Virgil sighed. “What noise Gordon?”

_“Meeeeeeew…”_

“That noise!” Gordon insisted, getting out of his seat.

“What are you doing?”

“Investigating.” Was the only explanation offered as the aquanaut set about the cockpit, like a bloodhound tracing a scent.

“There is nothing wrong with my ‘bird.”

“Never said there was. But something is making that noise.”

_“Meeeew…”_

“There it is again! Don’t tell me you can’t hear that!”

“Look, Gordo. I just want to get home. I’m not chasing any phantom noises, if you want to do that, then fill your boots. But I’m not interested.”

“Fine.” Gordon grumbled, flicking on his wrist communicator as he opened another storage compartment. “Hey John, can you do me a scan of Thunderbird Two…”

“There’s nothing wrong with my bird!” Virgil repeated.

“Something’s making a weird noise and Captain Tank over there doesn’t believe me.”

_“I checked over Thunderbird Two’s structural integrity before you took off. Everything was fine.”_

Another brother that didn’t believe him. Great.

“Look. Either something in here is making a noise or you need to take me to a hospital because I’m having a stroke.”

_“Meeeew…”_

“There it is again! EOS tell me you at least heard that.”

_“I did hear something John.”_

An exasperated noise from his brother in the stars. _“Fine. Scanning Thunderbird Two now.”_

Behind him Gordon heard Virgil grumble again ‘Nothing wrong with my bird…’

 _“Scan complete. Structural integrity of Thunderbird Two is perfect…”_ John trailed off and paused, squinting at the other screen in front of him. _“Wait… I **am** picking up a heat signature…”_

In his peripheral vision Gordon saw Virgil’s head snap around.

_“It’s in the storage compartment where you keep your spare suits.”_

Gordon strode over to the afore mentioned compartment and was about to wrench it open when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Hang on a second. How big was the heat signature John?”

_“Tiny actually… Not big enough for a person.”_

Gordon and Virgil exchanged a look before Gordon changed his tactic and opened the door with a little more care than he had originally intended.

_“Meeew…”_

And despite being a fish, Gordon practically melted.

“Oh my god…”

“Is that…?”

_“Holy shit.”_

“How am I going to explain this to Scott?” Virgil groaned, hand over his face.

_“Rather you than me.”_

Gordon however had stopped listening to his brothers, and had turned his attention to their stowaway, or rather stowaways…

“Hi there…” He offered a hand and was given a cursory sniff before his palm was promptly nuzzled into with a purr. “Hey mama… Did you just need a safe place for you and your babies?”

_“Although, video his reaction when you do.”_

“Shit. Do we have a box for them instead? They can’t stay in there.”

“Why not?” Gordon stroked a finger underneath the mother cat’s chin and was rewarded with another purr. “They’re safe for now, and they’re warm. We can move them when we get back home.”

“Gordon if you think I’m…”

“What are you going to do? Turn around and fly back to Norway and deposit them in some cat shelter?”

“Gordo…”

“We get home and then we figure out what to do.”

 _“Gordon, you know they can’t stay…”_ John’s voice was soft, trying to reason.

“Why not? We can’t just abandon them somewhere!”

“We wouldn’t…”

“Look at them.” Gordon tugged on Virgil’s arm, forcing him to crouch down, and orientated his wrist comm to make John look.

Mama Cat – as Gordon had so affectionately named her – was a small calico with big green eyes who was mostly white with a patch of reddish-brown covering her right ear, a smear of black and another of orange on her face, a patch of either colour on her back, and a tail that was a mixture of the three colours. But what had really gotten their attention was the eight kittens huddled together with her in the nest she had made for herself. They were a little too big to be newborn but can’t have been older than a week or two.

Two were tortoise shell, but one had a white ear; one was entirely blue-grey; one was almost completely white with just a single grey paw; another two were black and white but with different patterns; one was entirely ginger, and the final one was a light blonde-ish colour speckled with spots of darker shades.

They all stared up at them with bright eyes.

Both of his older brothers sighed and Gordon knew he had them on side.

“You can speak to Scott.”

_“EOS can you run a scan and check them over?”_

_“Already done, they all appear to be happy and healthy. No microchip found in the mother cat, so it is likely that she is a stray. The kittens are three females and five males.”_

Gordons smile widened, he sat down cross legged in front of his new furry friends.

“Can you tell me which is which?”

_“The tortoise shell with the white ear; the white with the grey paw, and the blonde one are the females.”_

“Good to know…”

Gordon reached out again, and mama cat purred as he scratched her head.

“Hey mama, must have been scary back there huh? Well, you’re safe here with us, we’ll take care of you and your babies. Even if it might make biggest bro’s head explode.”

 _“Do you want me to prepare Scott?”_ John had cut his connection with Gordon and had reappeared at the main console as Virgil re took his pilot seat.

“Nah, let’s surprise him with our new house guests… Better tell Grandma though.”

_“Done.”_


	23. House Guest Pt.2

##  [House Guest Pt. 2](https://seathesilverlinings.tumblr.com/post/638927820425445376/house-guest-pt-2)

Even Kayo had struggled to talk Scott down after Gordon had entered the lounge carrying a box containing Mama and her kittens.

“What on _earth_ made you think this was a good idea?”

Scott was pinching the bridge of his nose as he hissed to the hologram of his second brother and the physical form of the third.

“You didn’t see Gordon when he found them Scott. There was no turning around and dropping them off anywhere.” Virgil sighed.

“You better get down here before I lose my shit John.”

_“Heading to the elevator now.”_

John hologram flickered slightly as he moved.

“He’s named them John.”

_“I’m moving as fast as I can.”_

Scott turned the holocom on the desk around to where Gordon and Alan were sat on the floor with the box between them. The second youngest talking the teenager through the kittens and their names, as he pointed to each of them in turn.

“This one is Cheddar. These two are Peanut and Pecan…”

“Get down here and deal with this _now._ ”

_“Thirty minutes.”_

With that the connection cut, leaving Scott with his head in his hands and Virgil standing in front of him wondering how to proceed.

“It’s just some cats Scott…”

“It’s not just _some_ cats Virgil!” Scott’s voice rose slightly and the two youngest looked around. “It’s _nine_ cats.”

“Actually, Mama is the only cat; the rest are kittens.” Gordon corrected him.

“Oh, does Mama not get a food themed name like the rest?” Scott rolled his eyes.

“I like just plain old Mama for her.” Gordon told him, reaching out and gently scratching Mama’s head.

“I need to go lie down.” Scott stood up from Dad’s desk and left the room without another word.

Virgil sighed, and moved towards Gordon and Alan. Mama meowed softly at him as he sat down.

“Guys, you know they can’t stay, right?”

Gordon and Alan both frowned and in that moment – despite being twenty-one and sixteen – they looked just like tiny children again.

“They can at least stay until they’re old enough to be rehomed though, can’t they?”

“That could be another ten weeks depending on how old they are right now.”

“EOS reckons two weeks based on development.” Gordon told him.

Virgil’s voice was soft. “It’s a long time Gordon.”

“It’s better than them living on the streets in the cold. They’re safe here. And warm, and they’ll be fed.”

“You don’t have to sell it to me, I’m already on side. But you do have to convince Scott.”

“But Grandma - - …”

“But Grandma nothing.” Virgil shook his head. “She’ll be with you too, but you know that if Scott says they can’t stay, then they can’t stay.”

Gordon huffed. “If it was Kayo who brought them home, he’d let them stay.”

“Stop it.”

Gordon frowned deeply again, staring down into the box at Mama and her kittens. After a moment he sighed sadly, and Virgil and Alan exchanged a look.

“Hey, you haven’t finished telling me their names yet.”

Virgil looked over to Alan and smiled gratefully as Gordon looked back up to them.

“I did.”

“No you didn’t.” Alan refused. “Start over anyway, I’ve already forgotten the ones that you did tell me.”

Gordon eyed him suspiciously, knowing his younger brother was just trying to take his mind off of Scott. But he restarted his list none-the-less.

“This one is Kiwi; then we have Tofu; Radish; Cheddar; Peanut and Pecan; Parsnip, and last but not least, Linguini.”

“Why food?”

“Why not?”


	24. Game On

“If you really can’t sleep… Then how about we have sex.”

Kayo’s brain feels like it’s short circuited, and in the minute it takes her body to catch up with her mind she misses the punching bag and almost slams her fist into the wall behind it.

It’s been almost three months since she used that particular line on him.

“What?”

Since it’s less of a shock, Kayo doesn’t react quite the way Scott did, but it’s still a surprise to hear him say those words. She’s been down in the gym for nearly an hour. Her last interaction with The Hood fresh in her mind. Haunting it, even. And she had thought this the best way to deal with it rather than waking Scott up and bothering him with it, despite knowing that he wouldn’t have minded if she had.

“You heard me.”

His voice is steady and calm, and Kayo is finding it far too attractive, so she decides to play him at his own game.

“What makes you think I can’t sleep?”

She’s still got her back to him, but she can hear him approaching her.

“Oh, I don’t know… But the fact that I just woke up in bed alone and found you in the gym instead of the bathroom or the kitchen says a lot.”

“I’m fine.” She shrugs, readying herself to return to her previous activity. “I’m just not tired, and I thought this would tire me out.” But before she can return her attention to the punching bag his arms are around her waist and his lips are on her neck.

“I can think of a better way to tire you out…”

“Oh, I bet you can.”

“So much more effective than beating the crap out of a punching bag at two in the morning.”

“Uh, huh, sure it is…”

His teeth graze her earlobe.

“Hm… I guess you have a point…” She allows her eyes to close and drops her head back against his shoulder.

“You know, if you’d rather train instead…” Scott lets the statement hang in the air, only to laugh as she tangles her fingers in his hair and pushes him back to her neck. “I’d understand…” He breathes into her ear.

She shudders and he feels her melt back against him.

His hands leave her waist to travel slowly in opposite directions. But the moment his fingers so much as brush the waistband of her shorts she unexpectedly spins around in his arms and pulls him down for a fierce kiss. He’s startled and thrown off balance for a second which sends them tumbling to the floor, luckily onto the mats.

He’s finally able to look her in the eyes as they both catch their breath and he’s pleased to see she seems as fired up as he is.

“You’re wearing far too many clothes.” Kayo sits back, straddling his lap.

She tugs on the old Air Force shirt that he now sleeps in and he sits up so she’s free to pull it over his head and toss it across the room.

Her hands run over his chest and down his torso appreciatively.

“What if someone walks in?” He whispers.

“Scott, it’s two in the morning. Unless there’s an emergency, they’re staying asleep for at least a little while longer.”

Her hand is moving up and across his chest in a way that makes his mind go blank.

“Fair… Fair point…” He manages to choke out.

The take charge grin is back, and even though this was his idea, even though he was the one who started this, he finds himself surrendering instantly and completely.

She seems to sense where his mind has gone, and she smirks. “You tried, but we both know you don’t like to be the boss all of the time.”

He swallows. “It’s only gentlemanly to let the woman take charge when she wants to.”

“Sure, that’s the only reason.” She pulls her sports bra over her head and it just as quickly joins his shirt. “Nothing to do with you liking it at all…”

“Nope.”

She sits back slightly so her fingers can tease the skin just above the waistband of his pyjama bottoms.

He gasps, her grin is bordering on vicious. But it soon dissolves into a stuttered gasp of her own as he runs his fingers across the elastic of her shorts, pulling them down as far as he can as he goes.

Her eyes snap to his. She knows that move. They’ve played this game. And her expression is reading pure retaliation as she pulls him in for another kiss.

Game on.


	25. Pyjama Day

“I vote that today be a pyjama day.”

The stuffy announcement came from a certain blonde squid who slid onto an unoccupied couch, swaddled in a blanket with a pillow clutched tightly in his one emerging hand. But nobody made any noise of disagreement. Not Virgil who was currently swamped by a dressing gown that was far too big for him, sketchbook on his knees; not Scott who, like Gordon was now, was buried in a nice, warm, fluffy blanket on another couch facing the back, trying to rest; nor Kayo whose head Gordon could just about see over the rise of a shoulder from where she was sandwiched between his biggest brother and the back of their couch; Brains and John didn’t deny him his request either when they returned from the kitchen, the former carrying two large hot water bottles one of which was offered to Virgil as he settled in beside him and the latter shuffling along the floor sniffling a little pathetically before dropping down next to Gordon sending a glare at the cause of all of their misery.

“What?!” The youngest squawked.

“You know damn well what.”

It had been easy to identify Alan as their patient zero.

He had gotten sick the week before but, in usual little blonde astronaut fashion, instead of staying away from the others so he didn’t pass it on he had sought out comfort from almost all of them. A quick call to London earlier had confirmed Gordons suspicions that Penelope was also sick since they hadn’t heard much from her for a couple of days, only a quick check in here and there.

This meant that until they were all better International Rescue was completely down and out, none of them were well enough to fly a ship, let alone coordinate a rescue.

That was none of them apart from Alan.

He was better now, and that made the irritation felt by everyone else just that little bit worse.

“I think there’s enough pressure in my sinuses to rival that at the bottom of the sea.” Gordon mumbled, attempting to burrow into John’s side for a little comfort, which was surprisingly readily granted.

“You’d know Squid.” He heard Kayo mutter.

She was more annoyed than the rest of them, Gordon wasn’t sure if she’d spoken to Alan since she got sick.

“I’m sorry…” Alan sulked.

“We know kid.” Scott lifted his head to look over to the teenager. “We’ll get over it, just let us be miserable for a bit.”

“You know what would really make it better?” Virgil finally looked up.

“What?”

“That chicken soup from that nice place in Kansas where Mom used to go when we got sick as kids.”

A delighted murmur passed around the room.

“Oh yeah?” Alan snorted. “And how am I supposed to get there?”

“Take One.” Kayo answered, Scott glared at her.

“Excuse me?”

“Hell, even take Shadow.” Scott offered in return, receiving a shove from his blanket sharer.

“You can’t drive a motorbike so don’t take Shadow.” John jumped in.

“Hang on, are you all really expecting me to do this?”

There was a chorus of ‘Yes’ around the room.

“And I can really take One?”

“You’ll have to.”

“To pick up some soup?”

“Yes.”

“And some more the nice bread.”

Another murmur of agreement flowed around the room.

Alan groaned. “ _Fine…_ ” He peeled himself from the chair.

“Take Grandma with you,” Gordon called after him. “She knows where to go.”


	26. Sound Advice

“You’re in love with her!”

“Wait! What? No!”

“You _are_!”

“Shut up.”

“Never.”

John pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long suffering sigh. Why did he ever agree to let Gordon come up here on his own for more than a couple of hours? Oh yeah, because he put itching powder in Scott’s flight suit and the eldest was more than ready to commit murder if the second youngest wasn’t removed far away from the island and sharpish. The situation had resulted in his needing to cancel his weekly handball game with Ridley, and unfortunately Gordon had already been there when he had to make the call.

Gordon had behaved himself while John called his friend and explained the situation, that was until Ridley had laughed and Gordon had taken it as his cue to introduce himself. And in true Gordon fashion he had managed to simplify the complex mathematical equation that went on inside Johns head whenever he spoke to Ridley, down to two plus two equals four.

“Why don’t you just say something?”

“Because I’m not in love with her.” John turned effortlessly back to the control panels, Gordon squirmed uncomfortably just trying to keep the right way up. “Stop fighting it. Treat it like the water.”

“Can’t. Water is physical. This is just wrong.” Gordon wiggled again, trying to follow John across the commsphere. “Look, big bro…”

“Don’t start.”

But for Gordon that was really just an invitation to start.

“No, but honestly for just a second; there’s no use in lying to me, I’ve known you long enough to know when something’s up. And Something’s up. So what’s going on?”

“I’m not talking to _you_ about this.”

“Why not? I have more experience in this situation than the other three.”

“What situation?”

“Having feelings for someone who doesn’t have them back.” Gordon shrugged.

John softened. “You know Penny does love you, right Gordon?”

“But not in the way I want her to though… We’re not talking about me though. We’re talking about you!”

“Who says Ridley doesn’t share my feelings?”

“Wait… Did I put the stoppers on a booty call?”

“No!”

“I did, didn’t I?”

“You didn’t… We haven’t… It’s not like that.”

“So it’s a thing, but its not a _thing_ thing, yet. Right… Got’cha.”

“I don’t want to talk about it Gordon.”

“Well tough, because we are.” He managed a turn and he grinned. “I did it!”

“Well done Gordon.” John rolled his eyes but his younger brother didn’t miss the small proud smile.

“So what’s the problem here?” He managed to catch hold of the main console to stay in place. “You say she feels the same way, that means something has happened between the two of you…”

“Gordon.”

“Did you kiss her or did she kiss you?”

“Shut up.”

“You kissed her then. But she didn’t reject you, that means you can move forward with this whole thing. I don’t see what the problem is.”

John let out a defeated sigh, and Gordon knew he had him.

“I don’t know how to proceed.”

“What do you mean? It’s easy!”

“For you, yes. But I can’t handle people like you can.”

“You’re kidding right? You deal with people all day every day. You’re the voice of International Rescue.”

John scoffed. “It’s not the same.” He floated effortlessly across the room but Gordon grabbed onto his foot so he wasn’t left behind.

“Why? Because it’s a girl and you like her? I really don’t see what the…” he trailed off as John shook him off. “How long have you been up here?”

“Long enough. A few years, you know that.”

“And in that time you’ve obviously not… Sorry, but have you ever… You know…”

John rounded quickly in a swift and precise movement Gordon wasn’t prepared for. The glare that was thrown his way should have been enough to kill him.

“How many relationships have _you_ had since we restarted IR?”

“That’s not exactly what I’m asking.”

The glare intensified.

“Not that you need to know, but no I’m not a complete beginner. I had a life before too you know.”

“Okay. Gross. You’re right, I didn’t need to know. I’m failing to see what all of the fuss is about then.”

“Gordon. I like Ridley. I really like her. I don’t want to mess things up because I’m an awkward idiot who doesn’t know how to handle people, never mind relationships.”

“Then talk to her. Just sit down… Well maybe not sit down, no gravity…” That got a smile out of John. “And just talk to her, tell her how you’re feeling and if she’s worth anything she’ll be fine. You don’t have to suffer in silence bro, because that’s one sure fire way of making things awkward.” The next smile reached John’s eyes. “You’re my big brother too and I just want you to be happy. And if Ridley O’Bannon makes you happy I’m more than willing to give you any advice you might need not to fuck it up.”

“Thanks Gordon.” John was a little taken back by the show of sincerity. “You’re actually talking sense…”

“I do, on occasion. You should all listen to me more often.”


	27. Afterparty

It’s late and the party was long and by the time they stumble through the door to their suite they’re more giggly and happy from the alcohol than from actual enjoyment of the event.

Kayo almost overbalances in her haste to take off her shoes, but Gordon catches her arm deftly, while the other of his is wrapped securely around Penelope’s waist.

“Somebody take one of them or I’m going to fall over myself.”

Virgil holds his hand out to Kayo but she waves him off and extricates herself from Gordon once she removes her other shoe.

“I’m _fine._ ”

“I’m hungry.” John announces as he falls backwards over the arm of the couch and into the plush softness of its cushions.

“Told you we should have gotten Parker to stop on the way back.” Penelope says like it would have been the simplest thing in the world.

“Ah yes, because FAB 1 is _so_ discreet.”

Virgil laughs at the face Penelope pulls, because it’s probably supposed to be a frown, but it comes out as a childish pout.

“We could always get room service.” The suggestion comes from Kayo as she drops down onto the couch, next to John’s head.

There’s a small noise of protest from the astronaut that becomes even louder when the afore mentioned adopted sister giggles and ruffles his hair.

“How much have you actually had to drink?”

“Enough.” It’s accompanied by a shrug and another attempt to ruffle his hair, but this time he catches her hand swiftly and places it back in her own space.

“Well, the menu is pretty extensive, and we are billionaires…” Gordon’s voice fades out as Penelope leans into him, strokes his chest, and whispers something in his ear that makes his eyes widen. “On second thoughts I’m not that hungry, we’re going to head off to bed. Goodnight!”

He takes Penelope’s hand and she follows him extremely willingly down the short corridor to their room, slamming the door shut behind them.

“Whatever she said must have been very appealing.” Scott chuckles, eyes following the retreating pair.

“Gordon should just be thankful that Parker’s already gone to bed.”

“Can we get food now?” Turquoise eyes do a circuit of the family members that remain in the room.

“I forgot that you’re a hungry drunk.”

“It’s a reward to myself for enduring people all night.”

Scott tosses the menu at John and Kayo.

“Go nuts.”

Kayo doesn’t hesitate a second and without letting John even glance at the menu she picks up the phone and orders one of everything to the suite while the boys laugh.

John looks up at her.

“You’re the best sister ever.”


	28. To Sleep

For a “delicate Lady” Penelope Creighton-Ward is a notoriously heavy sleeper. She supposes its from years of attending long, late into the night social events, benefits, fundraisers with her parents as a very young girl and mastering the art of falling and being able to stay asleep anywhere. It’s because of this that she’s surprised to be woken by a muttering, of all things, in the middle of the night.

The bed bounces slightly underneath her as the source of the noise tosses and turns in his sleep.

She was used to Gordon moving about a little in the night, stealing the covers, seeking her out again when she got too warm and had to remove herself from his embrace for a few moments so that she was comfortable to sleep.

But this.

This was different.

He wasn’t pulling the blankets, he wasn’t reaching out for her, those weren’t peaceful sleepy mumbles.

“Gordon?” She asked quietly, pushing herself up to sit back against the headboard.

He moved again, flipping harshly over onto his back. His face was contorted in a way that could only be described as agony.

Her heart broke.

“Gordon, darling?”

Her voice was at a normal level now, but she still received no response other than a very pained sounding grunt, followed by a turn back away from her and on onto his side.

She reached out and tentatively laid a hand on his back, the skin felt strange under her fingers, she lifted them slightly, a scar. She smoothed her fingers over it.

She felt muscles tense under her hand as he curled in on himself, his breathing heavier, almost panting. He straightened back out suddenly and flipped over onto his other side so he was facing her.

When he did this, he managed to end up with his head right next to her legs, she could feel the sweat on his forehead where it was pressed against her thigh.

In a new move, which she hadn’t been expecting he flung out an arm that came to rest securely across her legs. And somehow that seemed to be enough to startle him awake.

He woke with a start, and pushed himself back so fiercely, so quickly that he almost fell right out of the bed. His eyes took a long moment to focus and while his brain caught up with his body she reached out and stroked his hair softly.

“P… Penny?”

“It’s alright darling, take your time.” She smiled down at him. He was confused, but she could see worry with an undercurrent of fear there too.

He reached out to her like he had done accidentally in his sleep, and wrapped an arm around her legs, but soon his upper half was sprawled across her lap with his head resting on her thighs.

“Rough night?” She asked quietly.

“Bad dream,” He screwed his eyes shut, a clear signal he didn’t want to talk about it. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No, of course not.” She let her fingers play through his hair and relished in the relaxation it seemed to cause.

“I’m sorry I woke you up.”

“Don’t be silly.”

“I’m sorry Pen…”

“Nothing to be sorry for my love,”

She breathed deep and moved her other hand to stroke his back soothingly. His eyes drifted open again to gaze up at her, she smiled.

“Come on, I think it’s time to get back to sleep.”

She lifted him a little as she settled back down in the bed, and once she had he laid across her again, tucked up to her side, his right arm across her and his head against her shoulder. He pressed his lips to the nearest patch of exposed skin.

“Goodnight Pen…”

“Goodnight darling.”


	29. Terms and Tactics

A sigh.

Brandon looked up just in time to hear a repeat of the same frustrated noise. He looked around to the only obvious source.

“Everything okay over there?"

“Yeah, fine." Accompanied by another sigh.

"I told you I had loads of work to do."

"Yeah, I know but I just thought...”

“That maybe you could distract me?"

“At least a little, yeah.” Alan was laid out on the couch in Brandons "office" (a strong word really since it was just a room separate from his bedroom to put the computer in) with his legs changing over one end, well within reaching distance of the back of Brandons chair.

“As much as I like you being here, I need to get this done today. We can have some fun later."

"When did you get so responsible?"

“Says the guy who is one of the worlds five most responsible people.”

“That's not the point."

"If I take a five minute break to shower you with attention, will you leave me alone to get finished after that?"

Alan lifted his head and looked at him.

“Maybe.."

“If your answer is anything but yes, then the offer is off the table."

"Fine. Yes. Okay. Five minutes of never ending affection and I will leave you alone for the rest of the day until you are finished."

"I said attention not affection." Brandon smirked.

“Well, those are my terms."

“Terms accepted." Brandon stood up from his computer chair and moved to the couch, sitting in the empty space by Alans head.

Alan immediately flipped around, and Brandon put his legs up on the couch while Alan draped himself over him.

"Bet I can make you stay longer than five minutes." Alan muttered as Brandon wrapped his arms around him.

"Oh yeah?"

Alan buried his face in the crook of Brandons neck. He nuzzled his nose against his jaw, and pressed a kiss to a willingly exposed throat.

"Yeah."


	30. Sure

It was Fischler. It always had to be Fischler.

Any science related disaster and ninety-nine per-cent of the time, that man was the root cause. But problems, no matter how hard, they could solve; rescues they could successfully perform. Scott hated the man, but he could keep it under proper and professional channels until now.

Scott Tracy had a temper. Everyone who knew him, knew it. But he was good at keeping it under wraps in a professional setting. Usually. He was good at keeping it hidden in general. Until someone messed with his brothers that is.

No stupid shit, dangerous, cocky asshole gets in the face of his brother and gets away with it.

It had taken Gordon, Virgil, _and_ Parker to drag Scott away from Fischler when the ‘scientist’ had started shouting directly at Gordon, and the holographic version of John. The eldest Tracy had been extremely ready to knock Fischler out, without a care for who was a witness to proceedings.

He had been promptly banished from the scene and back into Thunderbird One with Penelope and John’s visage for company, but he was still angry.

“Are you _sure_ I can’t punch him in the face?”

“Yes.” Penelope sighed. “For the hundredth time, yes.”

“What if I just break his nose a little?”

“Scott!”

****

He was back and undeniably worse than ever.

Fischler's latest escapade had been solved thanks to Brains, and lives saved thanks to her god-sons.

But now she had to watch as the afore mentioned 'scientist' shouted at the second youngest and the holographic form of the second eldest

“I saved your lives!"

“How? By stealing our minds? Our freedom? Our identity?"

That was a bit dramatic.

Jeff and Lucille had raised the boys well. They were kind and polite and all round good people; until, that is, someone messes with their brother.

At that point it was Lord have mercy on whoever had chosen that path.

It took two of his brothers as well as Parker to drag Scott away once he had noticed what was happening. Fists were more than ready to fly, and they probably would have if it hadn’t been for the intervention.

“Can you believe him. What a temper. Someone like that ought to be on an anger management course, not out around peopele."

Fischler had appeared at her side at some point during the commotion, she sucked in a breath and tried to remain professional.

"You shouldn't shout at the people who saved your life Mr. Fischler."

"They interfered where they weren't needed."

She turned to him and stared him down. He seemed unbothered, and that level of arrogance bothered her.

"I could have solved it all by myself. International Rescue are nothing but a menace."

Deep breath.

Even the eyes of the GDF Captain beside her widened as they made themselves scarce.

“They save lives."

“They're a nuisance."

And it was at that point that Val Casey remembered that despite being professional and waning to set a good example, she had promised to take care of those boys no matter what.

Sorry Scott, you do have to behave yourself, but allow me to take one for the team.

The way her fist connected with Fischlers nose was not only satisfying but somewhat relaxing too.

He reeled back, clutching his face, and she could see the blood seeping through the gaps in his fingers.

She smirked. Definitely satisfying.

But she righted her expression before she spoke.

"You're right. Perhaps next time my God sons will let you solve your mess all by yourself."


	31. Fear

“I love you.”

Scott’s arm was around her, pulling her in tightly to his chest. He pressed a reverent kiss to her forehead before pulling her in completely and resting his chin on top of her head.

She felt safe, but she also felt guilty.

Guilt and fear, are both such strange feelings. So intertwined in her mind right now, and yet, so separate too.

Kayo still hadn’t told them about her uncle, the man who had most likely killed their father. The man who they had spent years trying to prove existed to the GDF only to be shot down time and time again. She could have easily provided that evidence, very easily, but she was afraid.

Not of him, hell no, those days were long gone. She wasn’t a tiny girl towed this way and that by her fathers hand as they ran from hiding place to hiding place anymore. She was a strong and capable young woman who had the guts and the skills to beat down everything in her path, and if anything was going to try and take her now, if she couldn’t beat them first, she’d make sure that they went with her.

She wasn’t afraid of her uncle, she was afraid of losing them. Her brothers, her grandmother, her sister, whatever she and Scott were becoming.

Her family; her life; her home.

What would they do if they all knew?

Would they be disgusted?

Would they turn their backs on her?

Would they hate her?

She liked to think she knew her boys like the back of her hand. She liked to think that. But the truth was, as life had taught her, you never really know anyone or how they’ll react when presented with a certain situation.

Grandma Tracy already knew, and that was somewhat of a blessing. She knew and she still loved her the same. But would they? The boys who lost their father, the boys who treated her like family, who she’d kept this secret from for so long, so actively, right in front of their faces.

Would they still love her?

“I love you so much.”

Maybe you wouldn’t, she thinks. 

She presses her face into his chest and breathes in the comfort he brings. 

You shouldn’t.


	32. House Guest Pt.3

When the space elevator finally docked on Tracy Island John’s first stop was Scott’s room.

_“Go talk some sense into the squid. You have more patience to be nicer about it than I do.”_

It had been said with closed eyes, from a dark room only illuminated by light from a gap in the curtains, so John had done as he was told.

He reached the lounge to find his two youngest brothers still sat on the floor as Scott had left them, Gordon with a hand in the box stroking Mama’s head softly as she purred appreciatively.

“Don’t repeat what Scott said.” Gordon requested as John sat in Virgil’s recently vacated spot.

“I’m not going to, because I don’t have to. He’s said his piece and you’ve heard him. But I am going to remind you that unfortunately he is right Gordon.”

“Stop it.”

Gordon didn’t look up to meet his eyes and Alan remained silent

“Gordon. We live on a tropical island, and we have to respect that island. If they were to stay, they would have to live inside, all the time. And that’s not fair.”

“They don’t have to stay permanently, just until the babies are old enough to be rehomed.”

“Then what about Mama?”

“Well, she could…”

“She can’t.” John shook his head.

“Doesn’t Ridley like cats?”

“She lives in space most of the time Gordon.”

“Aunt Val, then.”

John sighed. “There’s no budging you, is there?”

“Nope.” Gordon finally looked up with a smirk that was only half sad.

“Well, I tried.”

“What?” Gordon had returned his attention to the box but his head shot back up again.

“I tried.” John repeated with a shrug, then smiled peering into the box as the kittens mewed faintly. “I happen to be a fan of creatures of the feline variety.”

The singular comment had Gordon feeling victorious.

“But if Scott asks…”

“You put up a good fight and I was an immovable object, got it.”

“Good.”

Gordon tried to remove his hand from the box, but Mama made an almost offended sounding noise and batted him with a paw.

“Hey!” Gordon laughed.

“Look’s like you’ve got a fan.”

“Looks like they’ll be sleeping in your room.” Virgil said as he re-entered the room carrying a small plate of chicken left from dinner the night before.

Mama’s purring got louder as Virgil got closer and she sniffed the air.

“Figured you might be hungry sweet girl,” Virgil smiled as he handed the plate to Gordon.

As he fed Mama her chicken Gordon talked John through the kittens and their names.

Unbeknown to the four boys their oldest brother had emerged from his bedroom and was watching events unfold from just out of sight. He ran a hand over his face.

“Christ, there’s four of them.”


	33. 63. Sit still, for the love of all that is Holy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drabble challenge for @lenna-z on tumblr!

John felt a jiggle against his seat for the fourth time in less than ten minutes, he looked over to the offending brother whose eyes were fixated on their holo-screen.

Another wriggle. And another. Followed by a spin on the stool.

John dropped his tablet turning to give a very pointed glare.

He went unnoticed, instead having the pleasure of viewing another spin in the opposite direction.

John grabbed the stool and stopped it mid turn, the occupant nearly falling on the floor.

“Sit still or go away.”

Brown eyes are innocent but joined by a whine. “But I’m _booooooooorrrrrreeeeedddd!”_


	34. 119. He’s spoiled rotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drabbles Challenge for @janetm74 on Tumblr for Scott!

Spoiled.

It’s a word that’s followed him around since Dad made his money.

All the way through school and on into the air force.

People sneer, even those saying he can trust them.

“Spoiled brat son of a billionaire.”

“Rich kid.”

“Bet he’s never worked for anything in his life.”

“I heard he bought his way in.”

But Scott doesn’t care about the money, never has. He’s aware of it, but it belongs to his parents, not him.

All he’s ever wanted to do is fly. Who cares about green when there’s an expanse of blue sky to be seen?


	35. 121. There’s nothing we can do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drabbles Challenge for @janetm74 on Tumblr for Scott!

Nothing we can do.

The first time Scott hears those words is the first time he feels like a failure. If only he’d gotten there sooner. If he’d pushed Thunderbird One harder. Maybe, maybe he could have…

John’s voice is reassuring: he did all he could, and Virgil’s hand is on his shoulder.

He wants to sink to the floor and bury himself in the shame of being unsuccessful. But one brothers voice and another’s hand won’t let him to drown in his sorrows.

They guide him home and help him rest to begin another day, to save lives again.


	36. 139. Don’t open an umbrella in the house.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drabbles Challenge for @5hadow-Alpha on tumblr!

“Guys look what I found!”

Gordon immediately drew his brothers’ attention, the last time those words were uttered he’d entered towing a manta ray in a huge tank.

This time however it was just a black tube.

“That better not be a confetti bomb…”

“Not today… It’s an umbrella! Look what it does!”

“No!” Three voices in unison.

“It’s bad luck!”

“It’ll be fine!” Gordon pressed a button on the handle.

The umbrella shot out and open to reveal a giant image of a hand giving a middle finger.

“Cool right!”

“Gordon Cooper Tracy!” Grandma’s voice was unmistakeable.

“Uh, oh…”


	37. Little Brothers

_“I swear to god Scott if you say ‘it’s what Dad would have done’ as a justification for your actions one more time I’m going to come down there and personally rip your head off of your shoulders!”_

“It really wasn’t that bad John!”

_“You almost died!”_

“Hazard of the job!”

John stared at him silently and Scott knew he had made a mistake.

_“I’m coming down.”_

Shit.

“No, you don’t have to. I’m fine, honestly, Virgil checked me over before he let me fly home.”

 _“I’m coming down.”_ John repeated though this time was a little more forceful.

Scott sighed.

_“I should dock at around the same time you get home.”_

“Okay…”

_“We’re going to have a conversation.”_

“Fine…”

_“About you what seems to be your disregard for your own life.”_

“Sure…”

_“And I’m sure Virgil would love to weigh in on that too.”_

Fuck.

Both of them.

That wasn’t fair.

“Whatever…”

Scott groaned as he cut the comm channel. He made a mental tally of how many bottles of whiskey it would take to calm both of his brothers down, there just wasn’t enough on the island.

This was not going to be a fun conversation.


	38. Pants

“Do we need whiskey?”

Scott stumbles as he tries to get up from the couch and almost falls face first into the coffee table, but Virgil catches him.

“No, I need whiskey,” The younger brother sighs, depositing the oldest back on the couch. “You need to put your pants back on.”

When Virgil had got home at two in the morning from his simple solo rescue the last thing he had been expecting to be greeted by was a drunk Scott, sat in the lounge wearing nothing but boxers and a t-shirt, watching some stupid trashy movie.

“But life is so freeing without them…” Scott whines, stretching out on the couch as though he was going to sleep right there.

Virgil sighed again and helped Scott up from the couch, maybe a little too roughly, but hey it was three A.M. and he just wanted to get to bed.

“C’mon. Pants. On. Now.”

He picks up the pyjama pants he found on the floor earlier and thrusts them into Scott’s hands.

The oldest glares at him but complies, muttering his disapproval under his breath as he does so.

“Good. Now it’s time for bed. You can either sleep here, or I can help you to your actual bed.” Virgil catches hold of Scott’s arm once again as he veers a little to his left.

He mutters something Virgil doesn’t quite catch.

“What was that?”

“Kayo…”

“What?” Virgil asks in disbelief.

“Kayo!” Scott shouts, thinking it was a signal to repeat himself.

“I’m not waking Kayo up at this time bro. You can talk to her in the morning.”

“I want Kayo.” Scott pouts as Virgil leads him to his bedroom.

“And I would like to live. So no.”

“You’re so mean…”

Virgil rolls his eyes. “Sure I am…”

“You are, first you make me put on pants and then you won’t let me speak to Kayo.”

“Whatever you say, trust me both are for your own good.”

When they reach the bedrooms another person appears at the end of the corridor, prompting a shout from the eldest.

“Kayo!”

Virgil quickly and firmly clamps a hand over Scott’s mouth.

Kayo manages to stifle her laugh.

“Ah, found him did you?”

“Help me…”

“Virgil made me put on pants and then told me I couldn’t come talk to you, but now you’re here, so things are better.” Scott smiles goofily and Kayo suppresses another fond laugh.

“Remind me that he is never allowed to have two consecutive days of enforced down time.”

“Tell me about it,” Kayo chuckled. “Need a hand?”

“Thanks, I have the feeling he might behave better now you’re here.”

Kayo takes up Scott’s other side and together they manage to get him to his bedroom, through the doors, and deposit him on the bed without another protest.

“Hm…” Scott groans appreciatively as his face sinks into the pillows.

“Hey,” Kayo turns to Virgil. “You get to bed, I can handle him from here and you need to shower and sleep.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Like you said, he seems to behave for me.”

“Good point, thanks. Goodnight,”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight bro, behave yourself or Kayo will tie you to the bed.” Virgil turns to leave the room but the door doesn’t quite close behind him before he hears a slurred mumble.

“Chance would be a fine thing.”

The door is shut and he’s halfway down the corridor however when his brain actually registers what was said.

He stops in his tracks.

What?!


	39. Please

Gordon screwed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth against the sensation. He pressed his head back into the pillows and his face too as much as he could, but it wasn’t enough. He wasn’t in enough time to stifle the guttural, primal scream that burned through his lungs, tore through his throat and broke past his teeth.

He hadn’t felt pain like this since the Hydrofoil crash. Just the thought made him retch.

Through the weight of the pain pressing down on him, he felt a gentle touch. A soft pressure, a hand on his arm. He turned half open eyes in the direction of the sensation, and he managed to make out messy brown hair and bloodshot blue eyes before he was pulled back under and seized by the urge to scream again.

The hand moved from his arm to his head.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re in hospital Gordon. You’re going to be alright. I promise.”

“Scott?” His voice was weak from disuse, but his brother still heard him.

“I’m here Gordo.”

He tried to reach out, but that just caused more pain.

This time his chest felt heavy and his scream broke off into a heaving sob.

Scott would fix it. His big brother always helped him.

“Make it stop. Please Scott, make it stop! It hurts…” He felt hot tears running down his face. “Everything hurts! Help me, please!”

He was vaguely aware of more people entering the room, Scott being pushed backwards but the hand moved into his to let him know he was still there with a reassuring squeeze.

A thick black curtain fell over the world.


	40. Push

“Oh my god, are you seeing this shit?”

Alan had been stood on the balcony watching Gordon fall all over himself trying to flirt with Lady Penelope and her responding in kind for over an hour before he heard the door open behind him and the tell-tale sound of Virgil’s heavy boots.

“You shouldn’t spy on people Alan.”

“Who’s spying? I was out here to relax and they drew me in. It’s like a stupid will they wont they from one of Grandma’s soap operas.”

Virgil leaned on the railing next to Alan and joined him in observing the brother born between them and his long time crush.

“See. It draws you in.”

“They just need to see it for themselves.”

“Are you sure we can’t give them a push?”

“Positive.” Virgil gave Alan a look that was supposed to read ‘drop it’ but must have given a different message instead.

Virgil had to watch in slight horror as Alan cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted:

“Just kiss already!”

The two blondes turned instantly, both looking murderous.

Alan suddenly looked afraid.

“Help me.”

“Hell no.”


	41. Shirt

“Is that my shirt?”

John looks Ridley up and down appreciatively as he steps out of the bathroom. She’s stretched out on the bed reading a book which she drops to her chest as she looks over at him.

“Maybe…”

“I think it is.” He smirks as he approaches the bed.

She raises an eyebrow at the almost hungry expression on his face.

“Perhaps you should give in to scientific curiosity and research your theory.”

She sets the book aside and stretches out completely on the bed, raising her arms above her head and arching her back. Ridley feels a sense of pride at the way his eyes widen, and he practically rushes over to the bed.

“Perhaps you’re right.”

He suddenly over her, one hand reaching up to grab her wrists and hold them together above her head.

“Can’t have you interfering with my research now, can we?”

“Of course not.”

“Good.” He removes his hand from her wrists, but not before he gives a final reminder squeeze. “Can I trust you to behave?”

“Absolutely.”


	42. This went somewhere it wasn't supposed to...

It hadn’t been the romantic night that Scott had envisioned.

The movie had been dull, the restaurant had lost their reservation, and the bar had been far too crowded. It was only ten o’clock and they were already back at the New York apartment, in their pyjamas, watching trashy TV.

But somehow, despite all of his plans going to shit, he didn’t seem to mind one bit.

“This is good pizza.” Kayo was leaning into him as she ate her last slice.

“I told you. Best I’ve ever had.”

She didn’t skip a beat. “Like me?”

Caught a little off guard by the remark a bubble of surprised laughter burst past Scott’s lips.

“Oh absolutely my love,” He bowed his head to kiss her temple. “The best ever, hardest to catch too.”

“Hey, not my fault you were too scared to say anything for ages.”

“I was not _scared._ I was merely respecting your boundaries.”

“Scared.”

“No.” He shook his head.

“Yes.” She nodded as she ate her final bite. “I’m actually sad that’s over.”

“We’re here all weekend, we can get another tomorrow.”

“Good.” She nodded again. “You were still scared though.”

“Well if you were so not scared, why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“I thought you weren’t interested. Plain and simple.” Kayo shrugged. “Not putting myself through any trauma that I don’t have to.” She picked up her glass and took a long drink. “What is this again?”

“I have no idea. The guy at Astor Wines didn’t seem pleased when I was asking for his best recommendation to go with takeout pizza.”

“No, his face was not impressed, until he saw your ID. Then he was more than happy to help.”

Scott half shrugged. “The name opens doors.”

“It certainly does.” Kayo settled back further against him and closed her eyes.

Scott looked down at her with a smile, now or never Scooter.

“I don’t suppose you’d like to share it one day?”

He felt Kayo jolt into alertness beside him.

“What?”

He’d expected a harsh demand to repeat his words, but he got a disbelieving whisper instead.

“Marry me.” He whispered back.

She pushed herself up and turned to look at him, mouth hanging open slightly in shock.

“W- -”

But before she could form her word Scott stood up from the couch and held up a single finger.

“Hold that thought.”

He returned a moment later with a small box held tightly in his hand.

Kayo’s eyes grew wider and she stared at him, speechless.

“Scott, I - - ”

He silenced her again by holding up his finger as he sank down onto one knee.

“This is _not_ the way I envisioned doing this but, Tanusha Kyrano,” The use of her full name broke her shocked expression and she smirked. “Kayo,” Scott corrected himself and earned an approving nod. “Will you marry me?”

He started to open the box but she seized his hands and stopped him.

Scott’s heart skipped a beat as he met her eyes.

“Yes.”

His heart stopped fluttering like a hummingbird and she seized his face, kissing him enthusiastically.

They stayed on the floor for a few more moments before Scott broke the kiss and whispered.

“Can I give you the ring now?”

Kayo laughed but gave him her hand.

The ring was simple, he knew she wouldn’t have liked anything too flashy, an emerald cut emerald to match her eyes with a small trapeze cut diamond either side on a gold band.

He slipped the ring on her finger. And with a grin and what he was sure were some tears in her eyes Kayo attacked him again with another kiss.


	43. Together

Alan had gone to bed ages ago, exhausted from the training Kayo was putting them all through. Grandma had followed soon after, and he was sure that Brains was still in his lab with The Mechanic. Kayo was somewhere around probably, though he hadn’t seen her in a while.

But that was the least of his concerns. He hadn’t seen any of his three eldest brothers in hours, and that was _never_ good.

The space elevator was still docked so he knew John was still down, Virgil wasn’t in his studio or at the piano, and Scott wasn’t stuck behind Dad’s desk. Gordon had the vague feeling that he should be thankful for the former and the latter, but the middle had him worried. When the three eldest secluded themselves from everybody else it wasn’t ever for a good reason. The last time they had done it they’d reappeared stinking of alcohol, eyes lacking life, and holding an extremely detailed contingency plan that Gordon never wanted to have to read.

They should be excited though, shouldn’t they? Celebrating even. They were just weeks from launching the Zero-XL, from finding Dad and bringing him home. Celebration should have been the only thing on their minds right now.

But as Gordon approached the office door, he knew it wasn’t.

He hesitated and listened closely before even thinking about knocking on the door.

_“I know. I don’t want to think about it either…”_

Scott.

_“But we have to be realistic.”_

John.

_“We do.”_

_“It’s been eleven years Virgil.”_

Full house.

He didn’t knock, what was the point?

Conversation ceased immediately as he pushed the door open, and Gordon found three pairs of eyes on him.

“Well this is frightening. What’re you guys talking about?”

One, Two, and Five all shared a look.

“Nothing.”

Gordon rolled his eyes.

“I’m not Alan. Try again.”

Virgil sighed. “Dad. We’re talking about Dad.”

Gordon regarded them with suspicion. Scott was sat behind the office desk while John, and Virgil occupied the two chairs in front of it, each was holding a glass of whiskey, with no ice, so it definitely wasn’t their first. The bottle sat in the middle of the table, it wasn’t even the expensive stuff.

“It’s nothing good, is it?”

John frowned before he answered. “We’re considering all possibilities.”

“I knew it wasn’t good.” Gordon sighed.

“You’re right,” Scott also frowned. “You’re not Alan, so no, it’s not good. I’d say pull up a chair but there aren’t any left.”

“It’s okay, I’m good here.” Gordon closed the door behind him and sat down on the floor with his back against it.

Virgil handed him a cushion that he had produced from who knew where, so he didn’t have to hurt his back on the door and John passed him his own glass of amber liquid. He cringed as he took a drink.

“If we’re going to depression drink can’t it at least be the good stuff?”

That made his brothers smile, though it didn’t reach their eyes.

“Alright, where’s my invitation to the sadness party?”

They all looked at each other again.

“Eleven years is a long time Gordon.”

Oh no.

“It’s a very long time to survive in deep space without the proper equipment.”

Oh _hell_ no.

“We need to consider the possibility of the worst.”

He wished he’d never asked.

“But he sent the message…”

“Braman picked that message up two years ago Gordon. And for all we know Dad had it reaching out in a loop.”

Gordon shook his head. He didn’t want to hear this. But he needed to face it.

“We’re hoping for the best Gordo, but the truth, the harsh reality, is that we don’t know what we’re going to find up there.”

“Dad could be dead…”

He felt the fire of hope that had been living within him for the past few months die back to some smouldering embers.

Scott stared down at his glass, while John drained his, Virgil answered him.

“It’s possible.”

Silence dominated the room for the next few moments.

“You need to tell Alan.”

“Not right now.” Scott shut him down. “And don’t you dare.”

“He needs to know. He really needs to know.”

“We know he does,” John nodded. “But let him have this hope for a little while longer before we push it off a cliff.”

“You need to prepare him for it. He’s strong. He can take it.”

“We know he can, we know you both can. We’ll tell him when we need to, let him be happy for now.”

“I should have just left you guys to it.”

“Probably.”

A crack caught their attention as Scott opened the new bottle, John pushed his glass towards him, Gordon emptied his own and handed it to John, gesturing for a refill.

“Whatever happens,” Scott worked his way around refilling the glasses without looking up. “Whatever we’re confronted with, whatever we find… We’ll deal with it how we always do. Together.”


	44. Hurt

It’s been a hard rescue. Really hard. They lost more than they were able to save and it’s hit Alan particularly hard.

He thinks Virgil hasn’t noticed over Gordon’s snoring, but big brother can hear the stifled sobs and tears coming from the teenager stretched out at the back of the cockpit, pretending to be asleep. So once they’re well on their way home and he’s sure that Gordon is truly asleep, Virgil switches the auto pilot on and makes his way over.

He crouches in front of the blanket swaddled body, the blanket is even covering his face that’s halfway forced into the pillow. He puts a light hand on what he thinks is a shoulder and feels a sudden tension.

“Hey, you good kid?”

He’s ignored and he can feel Alan trying to steady his breathing to pretend to be asleep again but Virgil isn’t going to let it work.

“I know you’re not asleep Sprout.”

A sniffle.

“Gordon is though. So if you want to talk about it, I’m all ears.”

The blanket shifts and it’s pulled tighter around Alan’s face.

“If you don’t want to talk, that’s okay too. But just so you know, if you want to talk about it I’m here to listen.”

Virgil rubs Alans arm affectionately before shifting his weight to stand back up. He almost misses the blanket being pulled down to reveal tear steaked cheeks and puffy, red ringed eyes.

“Does it ever stop hurting Virg?”

It’s a very quiet question and Virgil almost misses it, but he sits down next to the little brother shaped lump with a sad sigh and reaches out to run a hand through Alan’s hair soothingly, like he remembers Mom doing to him when he was tiny.

“I wish I could tell you it did. I really wish I could Sprout. Sometimes things don’t go how you plan, we try our best and that’s all we can do. We saved a lot of people today, I know that unfortunately a lot more didn’t survive, but if we hadn’t been there then the total would have been a lot higher. We helped, we did all we could.”

“But does it ever stop hurting?”

“No,” Another sigh, and a soothing run of fingers through hair. “You just learn to make room for it.”

Alan draws in a shuddering breath and shuffles closer to Virgil.

“C’mon.”

Virgil opens his arms and Alan rises up onto his knees, dropping himself into Virgil’s embrace. Virgil hugs him close and presses a soft kiss into blonde hair.


	45. Cheesecake

“I’m so in love with you…”

That brings a laugh out of her.

Ordinarily Scott would be offended if she laughed at him when he said something so heartfelt, but given that tonight’s offering was mumbled around a large piece of chocolate caramel cheesecake that has a crushed chocolate chip cookie base he’ll let it slide.

“Are you talking to me or the cake?”

Scott swallowed his mouthful.

“Can’t it be both?”

Kayo laughed again, digging into her own piece.

Kayo had swung by the little bakery they had all grown to love on her way back from a meeting with Colonel Casey and surprised him with the cheesecake when she got home.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”


	46. Drop

It was unusual for Gordon to be relegated to Thunderbird Two’s passenger seat in favour of another brother, and he was currently demonstrating said displeasure by occasionally allowing his foot to graze the back of the co-pilots chair.

He didn't need to be told he was annoying the afore mentioned brother, he could see it. With every jostle of the seat there was a flinch that would obviously lead to a frown that Gordon couldn't see. A tension in the shoulders which increased with every nudge.

A concerned look on Virgils face That was growing in severity with each passing second. "Gordon ."

Another kick.

"Stop it. "

Another.

"I'm warning you."

A chuckle and another kick.

"Your funeral."

Gordon went for another kick but his foot was swiftly seized by a blue gloved hand and John was staring him down. "If you do that again, I will throw you out that fucking window you - What are you doing?"

Gordon had hopped up onto his remaining foot and with his hands on the back of John’s seat, was staring out the window. "Checking how high the drop is, see if it's worth it."

Virgil’s eyes widened, but he daren't look over to John, he already knew that the look on the second oldest's face would not be one he'd like to be on the receiving end of.

John dropped Gordon’s foot and stood up from his seat. In a flash, Gordon had sprinted out of the cockpit with John in determined pursuit.

Virgil sighed.

"Tracy Island this is Thunderbird Two. I'm going to be coming back minus a brother. Probably Gordon, possibly John, depends on if John catches Gordon first and throws him into the ocean, or Gordon stresses John out enough to cause some kind of aneurism."

The sigh of a long suffering eldest brother was heard down the comm line.

“FAB Thunderbird Two.”


End file.
